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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25532059">Metanoia</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/KayyteeLynne/pseuds/KayyteeLynne'>KayyteeLynne</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>My Time at Portia [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>My Time At Portia (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Theories, duvos, head canon</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 08:33:48</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>28,125</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25532059</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/KayyteeLynne/pseuds/KayyteeLynne</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Metanoia: change of mind, to face a new direction, to turn toward the light.<br/>~A sequel to Lacuna~</p><p>Almost four years after their battle with the rogue knight and tensions had continued to grow between Duvos and the Alliance of the Free Cities. War loomed on the horizon once more. It was only a matter of time before Duvos struck, and the people of Portia and the Alliance were on edge. But no one could possibly guess what was keeping Duvos from striking… or what other secrets were lurking in the shadows...</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Arlo/Builder (My Time At Portia)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>My Time at Portia [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1849999</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>27</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>
  <span>“Mama.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kahli groaned and turned over.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mama.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shush, child.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mama!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She turned over again and pulled the blanket over her shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dada?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” Arlo’s voice came from beside her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dada,” Mason whined.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t exist.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dada!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Remember when you said we should have another?” Kahli muttered from under the blankets.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Remember when you said we were going to let Sam have him?” Arlo retorted sleepily. He opened his eyes, jumping when he saw his child just inches from his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mason giggled and placed his hand on Arlo’s forehead. “Up!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo sighed. “Why can’t I have one morning to sleep in?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because you wanted a child.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Daddy,” Mason whined.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your child is starving to death,” Kahli said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Pancakes!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your child,” Arlo rebutted. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You owe me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do I owe you for?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Remember when I carried him for nine months?” she said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That was three years ago!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I get to use that excuse for the next fifteen years.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This feels really unfair,” Arlo said. He sat up and rubbed his eyes. “You only get to use that excuse because you’re a woman.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“When men can have babies, you can use that excuse all you want.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My day off isn’t a good enough excuse?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re the leader of the Portian Civil Corps,” Kahli said. “You never get a day off.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Which is why I deserve to sleep in today.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kahli sat upright suddenly. Her hair fell over her eyes and she glared at Arlo.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That doesn’t work with me anymore,” he said. “You don’t scare me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kahli sighed heavily. She pulled her hair behind her and up into a messy bun. She climbed over Arlo, making it a point to be as obnoxious as possible, and out of the bed. She picked up her son.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Listen,” she said to Mason. “We had an agreement. Before the sun comes up, you bother Daddy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mason pointed to the window. “Sun’s up, Mama.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kahli glanced at the window. Arlo snickered, and her heart sank. “Dammit,” she whispered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Pancakes!” Mason cheered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kahli sighed and set him back on the floor. “Certainly, your highness,” she said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love you,” Arlo sang as he pulled the blankets over his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, yeah,” Kahli muttered. “You work so hard, I guess you deserve this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m so glad you understand,” Arlo’s voice came from under the blankets.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kahli blew a stray strand of hair out of her face. “Let’s go, kiddo,” she said to Mason, taking his hand. “It’s pancake time!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She guided her son down the stairs and into the kitchen, setting him on the counter as she set to work on his breakfast. He helped her crack some eggs - fresh from the morning before which he happily took from the chickens - and when the pancakes were done, she sat him at the table, cutting them into tiny bits for him to eat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She sat beside him, watching him as she sipped her coffee. It felt like hours had passed as he picked the pieces one by one, carefully plopping them in his mouth. He chewed, swallowed, then drank his milk. He gave a satisfied “ah” and the process resumed. Kahli smiled, then looked up as Arlo rounded the corner. He sat across from her with a grunt, staring sleepy eyed at the table.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Coffee?” Kahli offered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Meh.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Pancake?” Mason offered him a piece of his breakfast, drenched in syrup.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Carbs,” Arlo said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mason raised a questioning brow. “Huh?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Seriously?” Kahli said over her shoulder. “You didn’t care about carbs when you wolfed down your stupid spicy pasta last night.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re stupid spicy pasta,” Arlo retorted childishly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kahli laughed and set a mug down in front of him. “I thought you were the morning person?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I am when I get a decent night’s sleep.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe you shouldn’t have been up all night betting with Sam and Remi,” Kahli pointed out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right,” Kahli said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At that moment, the door opened unexpectedly, and Sam stood in the doorway.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Aunty Sam!” Mason cheered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, please come in,” Kahli said dryly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo stared at Sam. When Remington appeared over her shoulder, his gaze narrowed. “I told you it was a draw!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sam grinned. “What a sore loser,” she said as they stepped inside. “And put some damn clothes on!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo looked down at his bare chest and boxers. “This is my house!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Anyway.” Sam helped herself to the coffee in her kitchen, then sat beside Arlo.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m uncomfortable,” he muttered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Like I haven’t seen you in boxers before.” Sam rolled her eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kahli’s gaze narrowed on her. “That’s weird.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Remi, too,” Sam said casually.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Remington frowned. “When I’m taking a shower, I don’t need to know about damn bandirats.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course you do,” Sam said. “That’s kind of our job.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Speaking of job,” Remington said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo shook his head. “No thank you. It’s my day off.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t get a day off,” Sam pointed out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kahli grinned. “Hm. This conversation sounds familiar.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mali is coming back,” Remington said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo’s brows furrowed and he met his gaze. “Mali? Why?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dunno,” Sam said. “Her message was very vague.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It doesn’t sound like a casual visit,” Remington said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Duvos?” Arlo asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Done!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kahli looked at Mason. She forced a smile. “Nice, bro.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can I go play?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kahli lifted him from his chair and placed him on the floor. “Sure.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mason hurried into the other room, leaving the adults alone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“When will she be here?” Arlo asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tomorrow,” Sam said. She grinned at Kahli. “Can I play, too?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kahli frowned. “This couldn’t have waited until later?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It could have,” Remington said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I thought Arlo should know as soon as we found out,” Sam said. She straightened and saluted him dramatically. “Just doing my due diligence as a member of the Civil Corps, sir!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stop that,” Arlo hissed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, what does this mean?” Kahli pressed nervously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Won’t know until she gets here,” Remington said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Won’t risk her messages getting intercepted again,” Sam said. “Especially with Everglade and that Rogue Knight still at large.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>To Kahli’s dismay, the door opened once more, and Sonia stepped over the threshold mid-conversation with Emily, Albert Junior in her arms. Her sentence was cut short, however, as she turned her gaze to Sam and Remington, then to Arlo and Kahli.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, Arlo,” she sang, and she winked. “Looking good.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo sneered at her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Since when did we have an open door policy?” Kahli muttered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sonia put her son on the ground and pushed him forward. “We had a playdate, remember?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alby!” Mason ran toward his friend and hugged him happily.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m here for the playdate, too,” Emily said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Me, too!” Sam added.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re on duty,” Arlo reminded her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dammit,” Sam muttered. She finished her coffee, then stood. “Alright, Cap’n. Remi and I are outta here.” She bent down and patted Mason on the head. “Have fun, kiddo!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sam and Remington left, and Arlo stood with a sigh. “I should have stayed in bed.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kahli nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Aw, are you leaving?” Sonia said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Forever,” Arlo said as he left the women alone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You gonna put pants on today, too?” Emily asked Kahli.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kahli looked down at her bare thighs, her t-shirt just barely covering her, and she shrugged. “Too sexy?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Emily snorted. “Is this what counts as sexy for you two, now?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please don’t tell me you’re at that point already,” Sonia said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Comfortable and happy?” Kahli said, raising a brow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They’ve stopped trying.” Sonia shook her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can be sexy!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you wearing a thong?” Sonia asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A garter?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kahli stared at her, unamused.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Underwear that isn’t old and plain?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kahli hesitated.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh no,” Emily whispered. “They’re… a married couple!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You guys will get there, too,” Kahli pointed out, narrowing her gaze on Sonia.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sonia rolled her eyes. “No way in hell,” she said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kahli sighed and turned her back to them. “I’m getting dressed.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She left the two women alone and hurried up the stairs where she nearly bumped into Arlo. She grabbed his arm and pulled him toward her, pressing her lips forcefully against him. After a moment, Arlo pulled back and grinned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh, now?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sexy, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo blinked at her. “What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Have we settled?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I… what?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re so pathetic!” Kahli whined. She fell against him dramatically.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I… tell me what I did wrong.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We used to be so young and in love and adorable,” Kahli muttered into his chest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re… not?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re old, married parents!” She groaned loudly. She pushed herself off of him and stepped around him. “We might as well just die now. There’s nothing left for us. All the fun and excitement is over.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re too young to be having a midlife crisis,” Arlo said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m in my thirties!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re twenty-nine,” he reminded her. “I’m in my thirties.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She sat on the edge of the bed and frowned. “Do you still love me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo smiled. “Of course.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her head tilted to the side. “Do you still like me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Most days.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I still got it, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Definitely.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m cute?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mhm.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And sexy?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Duh.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you still want to be married to me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, Light, what has gotten into you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tell me!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo sighed. He got down on one knee in front of her and took her hand. “Kahli, Darling, I still want to be married to you. Do you accept my proposal to stay married?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A smile pulled at her lips. “Aw, you’re just too cute. Yes, I accept!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo pushed her back on the bed and kissed her deeply. He slipped his hands under her t-shirt, his fingers tracing against her bare, smooth curves, and she shuttered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your kid is demanding pancakes and got syrup all over his damn face.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo groaned loudly. He rolled off of Kahli and flopped onto the bed as Kahli straightened and met Sonia’s gaze at the door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t you people knock!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sonia grinned. “Stop fucking and pay attention to your kid!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re right there!” Kahli barked at her. “For the love of - why can’t I just have two minutes!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo glanced at her. “Fifteen?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kahli met his gaze. “Fifteen? Really?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey! You’re not horny teenagers anymore!” Sonia snapped her fingers in the air. “Get off of her and be a parent!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jeez, Sonia, let them have fifteen,” Emily said as she stepped into the room. She had a naked Mason in her arms, and he was covered in syrup.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This fucking town,” Kahli muttered. “Is so fucking dysfunctional!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Children!” Sonia hissed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m giving this weird kid of yours a bath,” Emily said. “You’ve got fifteen minutes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sonia winked at them, then followed Emily out of the room, closing the door behind her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo glanced at Kahli. “What can we do in fifteen minutes?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Take a nap?”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I'm still hereeeee! sorry for the short absence august has been cray cray yo. (all of 2020 but i digress) hope ya'll are doing well! &lt;3</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“We really need to go all out this year,” Sonia said. “I mean, we’re talking about the big three-oh!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kahli stared unamused at her. “I’d rather die.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Damn,” Emily said. “Someone is bitter about turning thirty.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kahli sighed. “I wasn’t until </span>
  <em>
    <span>somebody</span>
  </em>
  <span> had to remind me that I’m a boring old mom with nothing left to live for.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t say that,” Sonia said. “I merely suggested that you’ve turned into an old married couple. Gotta keep that spark alive!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There’s spark,” Kahli muttered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Emily nodded. “I heard the spark.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m very happy with my life,” Kahli said. “Everything is as it should be. Quiet and peaceful.” Still, she didn’t feel reassured by this. She watched Mason and Alby play in the yard and frowned. Mali was coming back, and she didn’t think that was a good sign. Sam was right; Everglade and the Rogue Knight had escaped and were still out there, somewhere. Who knew what they could have been plotting. It had been nearly four years of peace since then, but that only made her feel more anxious. It seemed that their peace would come to an end soon.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No offense,” Sonia started, “but you say that as if you’ve lived a thrilling life. Except for that whole incident with that rogue knight, you’re hardly an adventurer.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kahli blew her hair out of her eyes. “I’ve always been one to appreciate stability in life,” she said. “Is that so bad?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You just never seemed like the type,” Sonia said. “Every time something went wrong, there you were, in the middle of it all.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Emily laughed. “Oh, damn, it’s so true.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Remember when you went into some tunnel and came out covered in rat fur and blood?” Sonia said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Remember when you tried to fix a measly little pipe?” Emily added.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And then you couldn’t even help Mali get into an old ruin without tripping some alarms and coming face to face with two giant AIs.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And then you got your ass kicked by some crazed knight who wanted to steal All Source.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Which you built a model of from a crude drawing by another AI that just crashed landed here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And then you got your ass kicked by him </span>
  <em>
    <span>again</span>
  </em>
  <span>!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t think the Civil Corps has ever seen as much action as you did since coming to Portia.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you done?” Kahli sneered. “I’m just an unlucky person!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I guess you’re more of an adventurer than we thought,” Sonia mused.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, that life is behind me, now,” Kahli said. “I’m done with AIs and rogue knights.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s too bad,” Emily said. “I was thinking about getting out there. Having my own adventure. I could use an experienced partner.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right. Not like I have a kid or anything.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, yeah.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sonia scoffed. “Speaking of balls and chains,” she said. “How’s Mint?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Emily sighed. “He’s been gone for so long,” she whispered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Those walls have seen some things,” Kahli said. “Sophie would have been mortified to know what you were doing inside her house.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s my house, now,” Emily barked. “I can do whatever I want!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They are going to have so much sex when he gets back,” Sonia said with a grin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fifteen days,” Emily said dreamily.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Girl, get a room,” Sonia muttered.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>*****</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mei dropped some pages that were clipped together onto the table. “My source in Atara has confirmed that Duvos has pulled out of Ethea.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Duvos has been after the Orzu Ruins for years,” Arlo said. “Why would they pull out now?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They’ve been slowly backing away over the last couple of years,” Mei said. “As of a few months ago, Duvos is out of Ethea completely.” She hesitated. “From a professional standpoint, this is all I know. I can’t answer why they have decided to do this. It doesn’t seem that anyone in Atara knows.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But?” Sam asked, raising a brow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But,” Mei started slowly. “If you were to ask for my personal opinion, I think it has to do with All Source.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you mean?” Remington asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We know that Everglade and the Rogue Knight are working for Duvos,” she started. “They only came to Portia when a mole intercepted Mali’s communications. That’s why they came here; to get All Source. I think Duvos was so interested in the Orzu Ruins because they were looking for All Source AIs. We know that there are a few of them around, right? And once they found out there was one in Portia, it was easier to send someone here to get it before we did then to continue to waste their resources searching dead end leads.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But they don’t have All Source,” Sam pointed out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” Mei said. “But they know it’s here. They’ve been slowly pulling out and refocusing their efforts on Portia. You know how Duvos is; they won’t hesitate to break the peace treaty to get what they want. And what they want is weapons. Their military is highly advanced and powerful. Their numbers are incredible. And with All Source, they’ll be able to use it against the Alliance and the rest of the world.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But All Source can’t be controlled,” Remington said. “Wendy’s chip was damaged.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“True,” Mei said. “But this is Duvos we’re talking about. They won’t hesitate to do what they need to do to get the information they want.” She hesitated. “I don’t know what Wendy knows, or what information she’ll give up if it means saving her own life. It’s obvious she is just as human as the rest of us. She won’t hold up to… extreme measures. But, again, I’m just speculating here, based on what I do know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t think it’s unrealistic,” Sam said. “We know Duvos has always been after any weapons they can get their hands on. The peace treaty has been as thin as thread since day one, and Duvos has been pushing their limits ever since. They’re not afraid to use force, because they know they have the upper hand.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They have the upper hand,” Arlo said. “Which means we don’t stand a chance if they decide to redirect their efforts to Portia. They’ll destroy us to get at All Source.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They were quiet for a moment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you think that’s why Mali is on her way here?” Sam asked. “If Duvos attacks Portia…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo hesitated. “It’s just speculation,” he said. “We’ll have to wait to see what Mali says.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What if it’s a trap?” Sam said, her brows furrowing tightly. “They were able to trick us once before. Don’t you think we should do something?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are we supposed to do?” Arlo hissed. “Evacuate everyone based off of a hunch?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Look,” Mei started. “What I’m telling you isn’t something you didn’t already know. You knew how the state of the world has been these last few years. All we know now is that Duvos has pulled out of Ethea.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s our job to be proactive,” Sam said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We can’t act on a guess,” Remington said pointedly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And why not? If Django hadn’t interfered, that knight would have killed us and gotten exactly what he wanted. Do you really think we can stand up to a second attack? And against Duvos’s entire army?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Regardless,” Arlo said. “It’s not our call to make.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Their eyes turned to Gale, who had been silent through the whole conversation. He leaned against his desk, his brow furrowed deeply. When he realized they were all staring at him, his expression softened slightly, and he sighed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mali’s message was very vague,” Gale said. “Which leads me to believe that the message is genuine. She’s being cautious. If it weren’t Mali, we wouldn’t have received word at all.” He met Mei’s gaze. “Your source in Atara…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Reliable,” Mei said. “An old friend. He’s with the Flying Pigs. I spoke with him in person while I was there over the winter.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why would he tell you this?” Gale asked. “Why not approach Arlo himself? Or Mali? Or me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mei hesitated. “I can’t get into specifics,” she said slowly. “When he writes me, he uses different pen names to conceal his identity. He works for a classified branch -”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A spy,” Sam said frankly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s been giving me updates on the Duvos situation. When I met with him over the winter, he provided these documents. He suggested that they were after All Source, but these documents tell a slightly different story. I believe this is why Mali is coming.” Mei pulled some pages out, including a photograph, and pushed them towards the mayor. The four of them leaned in to get a better view of the documents.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>One page seemed to be a report of the incident that took place in Portia with the Rogue Knight. Django’s name was written several times throughout, along with the title ‘Storm Knight.’ Another page seemed to be a more detailed document on Django and his past, while another page had information on residents of Portia. The photograph, to their surprise, was of a younger looking Maurice. He was dressed in dark clothing, a slender, obsidian like blade in his hand, and a permanent scowl on his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What is this?” Arlo asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My source doesn’t seem to think All Source is all they’re after,” Mei said. “He thinks they’re looking for someone who lives here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maurice?” Gale asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe,” Mei said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo’s brow furrowed. “Why?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not sure,” Mei admitted. “He didn’t know who Maurice was. But Mali had mentioned his name quite a few times. She said he hasn’t lived here in some time. I don’t know if Duvos knows this, or if they’re just looking for information on his whereabouts.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gale gathered up the pages, including the photograph, and slipped them into a manilla folder. “Thank you, Mei,” he said flatly. “I think it will be best to wait for Mali. She’ll be here tomorrow, so we won’t have to wait long. She will likely have the answers we need. We won’t act until we get orders from her. Now, I don’t want to cause a panic, so I expect you all to keep quiet. No sense spreading false information right now. When we have the information we need, then we can act appropriately.” Without another word, he turned his back to them, waving a hand as if to dismiss them. They hesitated before leaving him alone and stepping out into the plaza.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I miss the old Gale,” Sam muttered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He hasn’t been the same since Ginger died,” Mei agreed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He used to be so optimistic.” Sam sighed. “Now it feels like we’re doomed.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The four of them fell silent, the future of the world weighing heavily on their minds.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But why would Duvos be looking for Maurice?” Remington asked. He turned to Arlo. “Does Kahli know anything?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo hesitated. “Kahli hasn’t seen him in years,” he said. “What could she possibly know that she wouldn’t tell me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you think he was some kind of soldier?” Sam asked. “In that photograph… he had that sweet looking sword.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The sword. Arlo had seen it before.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If you ask me,” Mei started, “I think Gale knows something. He seemed awfully quick to dismiss us after I showed him those documents.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“About Maurice?” Remington asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe,” Mei said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But if Maurice was a soldier, why would they want to keep that a secret?” Sam asked. Her eyes widened. “Do you think he’s some kinda spy or something?” She bounced on her toes. “Maybe that’s why he was never around?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Or,” Mei started, “Maybe he’s a traitor. Working for Duvos.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you think?” Remington said. “Seems a bit far fetched if you ask me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mei shrugged. “Maurice is obviously someone of importance,” she said. “Whether it’s for the Alliance or for Duvos, however…” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you going to tell Kahli?” Remington asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo’s lips pressed together. “Nothing,” he said. “At least not until we hear from Mali.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Kahli could just barely recount a time, long ago when she was just a child, and before her mother died, when her parents took her to parks. Those memories were far and few between, but as she watched Mason and Alby play, she could recall a particular moment suddenly so vividly, seeing it play out as if right in front of her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was playing with other children, friends she could no longer recall, when a disagreement broke out between them. She couldn’t remember what it was about - a toy one wouldn’t share, perhaps - but she did remember the heartbreak she felt when her friends abandoned her, leaving her alone on the playground. They were frustrated and too young to be able to express themselves any other way. She couldn’t remember what they said except that their words plunged into her chest like a knife.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And she cried alone in the park.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She eventually made her way back to her parents. It was likely that they were just yards away, seated on a bench, but to Kahli, it felt like she had to walk to the ends of the world to find them. She was sad, angry, confused, and scared. The only thing that drove her forward was finding her parents again. Because she knew they would make everything better. She loved them so deeply, beyond any child’s understanding, but to her, that love was safety and comfort and happiness.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And when she did find them, they did not hesitate to dry her tears. They listened to her as she blubbered and sobbed and explained what happened. And they held her just as tight as she knew they would. Her mother was comforting, kind, caring, just as a mother should be. And when she finished tending to her, her father turned to her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His expression was always soft when he spoke to her. His eyes were kind, his smile warm. Still, there was a hardness to him, but not a hardness she feared. It was something that told her he was brave and strong. Fearless. He would do anything to protect her. Anything.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know,” he said to her. “There will be a lot in life that you don’t understand. People will hurt you, and you won’t understand why. And not every reason is a good reason. But I want you to always remember something, Kahli; Ma and I love you more than anything in the world. You remember that, alright?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mason and Alby argued. Kahli hadn’t particularly been paying attention, and she didn’t know what got them so worked up for four year olds. A toy, perhaps. She watched them carefully, wondering if she should intervene. But then they were smiling and giggling. Whatever it was, it had been resolved, and they were back to playing again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kahli let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now, if we both had girls, they’d be pulling each other’s hair out!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kahli turned to Sonia. “What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Boys always seem to solve their differences, yanno?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh.” She smiled. “Yeah, I guess.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’ve been quiet,” Sonia noted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Long day.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sonia nodded. “Kids are exhausting. Good thing we’re still young and full of life, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kahli yawned. “Yeah. Something like that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sonia laughed, then got to her feet, calling to her son. The two boys ran over to them, and Mason smiled up at her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ready for dinner?” Kahli asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mason nodded eagerly. “Pancakes?” he asked excitedly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dude, you’re gonna turn into a pancake.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mason giggled. Alby called to him, and he turned to wave goodbye to his friend. Then, he looked up at his mother and smiled, taking her hand and letting her guide him home.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo was leaning against the counter when they got home. His arms were folded over his chest, his brows furrowed deeply, and his gaze focused on his feet. It wasn’t often that Kahli saw him like that, but when she did, she knew something weighed heavily on his mind. He hardly noticed when Mason ran up to him, and when he did, his smile to his son was forced and tired.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Go wash your hands,” Kahli instructed her son, and he quickly disappeared around the corner.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo looked up, then, and met her gaze.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kahli hesitated. “Is everything alright?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He smiled. “Yeah. Uh. How was your day?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kahli blew at the stray strands of hair that fell out of her ponytail. “Oh, you know,” she started. “We got some ice cream, ran around town, went to the park, chased some ducks, went back to the park.” She sighed, then pressed her lips together. “What’s wrong?” She hesitated. “Do you know why Mali’s coming?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo pulled his gaze away and shook his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright,” Kahli said softly. She didn’t bother to press him. Whatever it was, she was sure he would tell her when he could. She hated it, but she tried not to let her imagination run too wild. She cleared her throat. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This child wants pancakes again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s going to turn into a pancake.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kahli smiled. “That’s what I said.” She hesitated. “Are you going to eat?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo shook his head. “I’ll grab something later. I’ve got some work to do.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kahli’s lips twisted to the side. “So much for that day off.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo frowned. “Sorry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’d wait up for you -”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t,” Arlo said. “It’ll be a late night.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s going on?” she asked carefully. “You’re not increasing patrols, are you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” Arlo said. “I’m just… doing some research.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right.” Kahli sighed. “Well, don’t work too hard.” She offered him a smile. There was tension between them, but she didn’t know why, or what had happened. Maybe the spark really was gone.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>*****</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Arlo was alone in the Civil Corps building. Remington was on patrol, and he had given Sam the night off. He wanted to be alone. There was too much on his mind. Books, notebooks, and folders were spread out on the table before him. He didn’t exactly know what he was looking for, except that it was likely information on Maurice. Gale had seemed too eager to keep his hands on the documents Mei had presented to them, and he was certain Gale was hiding something from them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He recalled the photograph clearly, though. What caught his attention, however, was the black blade that Maurice had. It was familiar; the same blade he had given Kahli a few years back when he came to Portia. And why would he come to Portia, to see Kahli, after all those years apart? Was there a connection to the rogue knight? Had he heard what happened? Did he give her the sword in hopes of her using it to protect herself?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>What did Maurice know about the rogue knight? And what did Gale know about Maurice?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He didn’t find any answers in the town’s files, though he did see that Maurice and Clara had lived in Portia for a while. They left just before Kahli was born, but he wasn’t sure why. Maybe there was no particular reason at all. It didn’t seem they had family in Portia. It was possible they wanted to move closer to family, or find somewhere with more work.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It seemed reasonable enough. Still, something didn’t sit right with him. There was some significance to the blade and to Maurice. Maybe before he was a builder, he was an adventurer. Or a soldier. Again, that seemed reasonable, but it still didn’t give him any answers. All he could think was that Maurice had left Kahli to follow that life again. He couldn’t imagine ever doing that to his son, no matter the circumstances. If Maurice was any kind of decent father, he wouldn’t have done it without good reason.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But they weren’t at war. There seemed no good reason for such a brash decision. Maybe he was giving Maurice too much credit. Maybe he was just a bad father like Kahli said he was.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo frowned as he flipped through the files. He had tried to defend him. He thought it would have been good for Kahli to make amends with him. Maybe he was wrong. Still; the black sword weighed heavily on his mind. Kahli hadn’t touched it since the day he had given it to her. If there were any answers, maybe he’d find it with the sword.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was late when he returned home, and the house was dark. He found Kahli lying diagonally on the bed with Mason curled up beside her, snoring peacefully. He stepped quietly into the room and peered into the closet. The sword was leaned up against the corner, right where Kahli had left it, collecting dust. He pulled it out and examined it carefully, but there was nothing. No note, no secret writing. It was just a sword.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Arlo?” Kahli sat up and rubbed her eyes. She met his gaze and her brows furrowed. “What’s wrong?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo returned the sword to its place in the closet. “Nothing,” he said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The sword.” She yawned. “I forgot that was there.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you know about it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kahli frowned. She blinked in the darkness. “No,” she said. “I never saw him with a sword.” She paused in thought. “You’d think he’d need it while he was on his dumb exploration team.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo moved to her and sat on the bed beside her. “Are you going to hold on to it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kahli hesitated. “I guess,” she said. “I have no use for it. But I don’t think I can get rid of it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why not?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kahli shrugged and yawned. “I dunno,” she said. “He gave it to me, for whatever dumb reason. Maybe I’ll need it. To kill some more bandirats or something.” She offered him a sleepy smile. “But I think those days are behind me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo kissed her. “I hope so.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Mali arrived in town that morning, and Arlo found himself back in Mayor Gale’s office with him and Mali, Sam, Remington, and for some reason, Django. He offered them no explanation, and Mali didn’t acknowledge his presence when she spoke.</p><p>“It’s good to see you all again,” Mali said, but she did not smile. “Though, I wish it were under better circumstances.” She sighed heavily. “It seems Duvos has pulled out of Ethea. I’m afraid it’s because of the discovery of All Source here in Portia. It’s likely they will refocus their efforts and launch an attack on Portia and the Alliance, officially breaking the treaty. I have not yet received word on their movements, but I suspect it will be soon.”</p><p>The room was quiet as they each processed this information. It was Sam who broke the silence.</p><p>“What about Maurice?”</p><p>Mali stared at her with a look of surprise on her face. “Maurice?” She turned her gaze to Mayor Gale, her eyes narrowing slightly.</p><p>Sam hesitated. “Is it true? What does Duvos want with him?”</p><p>“You know Maurice?” Mali asked slowly. “Was he here?”</p><p>“A couple of years ago,” Arlo said.</p><p>Mali’s gaze was fierce. “What? Why?”</p><p>Arlo’s brows furrowed. “Visiting Kahli,” he said slowly.</p><p>Mali’s face paled. “Oh,” she said softly. “Kahli? His… daughter.”</p><p>“What’s the matter with you?” Sam sneered.</p><p>Mali shook her head. “I should have known. I should have put it together. Fuck.” </p><p>“Care to elaborate?” Arlo said, his voice hard.</p><p>Mali hesitated. “You don’t… know about Maurice?” She turned back to Gale. “How long have you kept this secret?”</p><p>Arlo’s gaze moved between Mali and Gali, narrowed with frustration. “What’s going on?”</p><p>“Maurice is a knight,” Django said.</p><p>They turned their surprised gazes to him.</p><p>“What?” Arlo hissed.</p><p>“You knew, too?” Mali said.</p><p>Django nodded. “It’s partly why he had Kahli come here,” he explained. “I promised him I would keep an eye on her.”</p><p>“Why?” Arlo pressed. He turned to Mali. “What does this mean?”</p><p>“Years ago, Maurice was attacked by the rogue knight,” Django said. “When Kahli was a child. It was the rogue knight who killed Clara, her mother. Maurice knew Kahli wouldn’t be safe with him, so he brought her to Barnarock and left to try to hunt down the rogue knight. I managed to get in touch with him when the rogue knight attacked Portia, and that’s when he came back.”</p><p>Arlo stared at him. “You’re fucking kidding,” he said.</p><p>“That’s not all,” Mali said, meeting Django’s gaze.</p><p>Django shook his head. “I’m afraid not.” He hesitated. “See, knights are… unique. Sure, we’re trained to be the best fighters, to defend, but there’s a little more to it than that. There are… abilities, so to speak. Abilities that do not come naturally to anyone else. It’s what truly differentiates us from the rest. And these abilities tend to be passed down… to our children. It’s how the knights have been able to stay alive over the years.”</p><p>“Are you saying Kahli is a knight?” Sam said.</p><p>“Not exactly,” Django said. “These abilities don’t naturally present themselves. There is a lot of training involved before becoming a knight, and the first step is learning to harness that power.”</p><p>“Does Kahli know this?” Remington asked.</p><p>Django shook his head. “I don’t believe she’s aware of any of this,” he said. “That her father is a knight, or that she shares the same abilities he does.”</p><p>“What exactly is that ability?” Mali asked.</p><p>“It’s different in all of us,” Django explained. “For me, I can harness the power of electricity. For the rogue knight, he can manipulate fire.” Django hesitated. “I am not as familiar with Maurice’s abilities as he would be and have never seen first hand. However, I believe his abilities are a little more complicated, and of a much darker power.”</p><p>They fell quiet. After a moment, Sam spoke.</p><p>“And she could do this, too? Eventually?”</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>“So,” Sam continued. “It’s like magic.”</p><p>“No,” Django said. “The history of knights is not well known to most people.The abilities that separate us from everyone else were created around the Age of Corruption.”</p><p>“Created?” Remington echoed.</p><p>“That’s right,” Django said. “Though, we can’t be sure who created it. Regardless, people were used as test subjects for these experiments. They were subjected to various tests, but very little information has been found on what exactly these tests were. We suspect they involved injections of various unknown substances. People were essentially morphed into a more powerful being. Overtime, these abilities manifested in their children. For years, they were studied and trained, and thus, the knights were born.”</p><p>“That sounds awful,” Sam said.</p><p>“The rogue knight,” Mali started. “He’s working for Duvos. It’s likely he’s been trying to find the knights and kill them. Clara was caught in the crossfires. If he finds out Kahli is Maurice’s daughter, he’ll try to kill her, too. They’re coming here. She can’t stay here. She won’t be safe.”</p><p>“What do you want us to do?” Remington asked.</p><p>“I will arrange to have Kahli escorted out of Portia,” Mali explained. “She will be brought to Lucien where she will be safe.”</p><p>“What about Mason?” Sam asked.</p><p>“Unfortunately, Mason will not be safe here in Portia, or with Kahli in Lucien. I have arranged for him to go to Barnarock for the time being. Kahli will leave first thing tomorrow morning.” She turned to Django. “Duvos knows you’re here, too.”</p><p>Django raised a hand. “They do not scare me,” he said.</p><p>Mali smiled. “I know,” she said. “We’re severely outnumbered as it is. I know it’s been some time -”</p><p>“I will defend Portia and the Alliance,” Django said.</p><p>Mali nodded. She turned back to Arlo. “Kahli needs to know the truth,” she said. She forced a small smile. “And I’m just dying to see this kid of yours.”</p><p> </p><p>*****</p><p> </p><p>Kahli frowned at the six people that filled her kitchen. Sam and Remington had already helped themselves to Mason’s cookies, and Mali, Gale, and Django sat at the bar.</p><p>“I thought there was going to be a kid here?” Mali said.</p><p>“Yes, Mali, it’s so nice to see you, too,” Kahli said dryly. “Emily and Sonia are watching him for a bit.” She narrowed her gaze slightly. “Why is everyone here, anyway?”</p><p>Mali frowned. “Actually,” she started. “There’s something I needed to discuss with you. However, I’m not sure why those two followed us.”</p><p>“We’re here for emotional support,” Sam said with a mouthful of cookies.</p><p>Kahli frowned. “Emotional support?” She glanced at Mali. “You never come with good news, do you?”</p><p>“It seems that way, doesn’t it?” Mali sighed through her nose. “This is about your father.”</p><p>Kahli hesitated. “What about him?”</p><p>“How much do you know about him?”</p><p>“Not much,” Kahli said. “He wasn’t around after my mother died and never really kept in contact with me. I know he likes to travel around and discover the mysteries of the world or something.” She rolled her eyes. “Why?”</p><p>“Did you know he’s a knight?”</p><p>Sam and Remington were no longer stuffing their faces with cookies. Kahli looked around her to see they were all watching her closely. She turned back to Mali.</p><p>“No,” Kahli answered slowly. “You mean like, Django-knight?”</p><p>“Yes,” Mali said. “I came here with news about Duvos, but it came up that Maurice is your father.”</p><p>“And?” Kahli pressed, her gaze hardening.</p><p>“Duvos has pulled out of Ethea. I suspect it’s because of the discover of All Source here in Portia. It’s likely they will attack the Alliance for All Source. I have not yet received word on their movements, but I suspect it will be soon.”</p><p>“What does this have to do with my father?”</p><p>“Being a knight means he could be of value to Duvos, just as the rogue knight is.”</p><p>“He may be a shitty father,” Kahli started, “But he would never betray the Alliance.”</p><p>Mali shook her head. “I have no doubt,” she said. “However, if Duvos finds out that you are his daughter, they will do whatever they have to do to get their hands on you.”</p><p>Kahli’s face paled slightly and she swallowed. “What? Why?”</p><p>“The abilities of knights are usually passed on to their children, which means his abilities lie within you. Without proper training, you’d never know about these abilities, nor would you be able to harness their power, which makes you a blank slate. If Duvos finds you, they can use unethical means to bring that power out in you in an attempt to use you to their advantage.”</p><p>The room was silent. Mali’s words hung in the air. Kahli sat down, staring at the floor in disbelief.</p><p>“We will be at war with Duvos,” Mali said. “There’s no avoiding it. It’s only a matter of time before they strike. It’s my job to make sure we’re prepared to defend the cities when that happens. We’re limited on bodies as it stands; we don’t compare to Duvos’s army. That means everyone will be expected to fight.” She met Arlo’s gaze. “The three of you and Django will be expected to come to Atara and prepare yourselves to fight in this war.”</p><p>Kahli wanted to puke. War? Were they really at war? And now Mali was here to recruit her husband. Her friends. She choked back a sob and her hand covered her mouth. She closed her eyes and fought to remain calm, but still, her heart thudded so violently in her chest, she thought she was shaking from the vibrations. She heard Mali and Gale speaking, and she opened her eyes. She could not focus on their conversation, but she turned her gaze to Arlo, searching for reassurance, but she found none.</p><p>“I need to meet with the other Civil Corps,” Mali said. “And then return to Atara. I’ll send word as soon as I can.” She turned to Kahli. “You’ll leave at the end of the week. My men will meet you in the Eufaula Desert to take you to Lucien.”</p><p>“Lucien?” Kahli echoed. Her brow furrowed and she grew panicked. “No. Why? I want to stay here.”</p><p>“Weren’t you listening?” Mali hissed, then her voice softened slightly. “If Duvos comes to Portia - if the rogue knights return - you might not be safe. I will arrange to have you protected in Lucien.”</p><p>“If I’m a knight -”</p><p>“You’re not a knight,” Mali snapped. “As you are now, you’re nothing more than the child of a knight.”</p><p>“It takes rigorous training to become a knight,” Django said to her gently.</p><p>“But if I have this ability, I can help.”</p><p>“You’re useless to us,” Mali said.</p><p>Kahli stood abruptly. “Then make me useful!”</p><p>Mali stood, more calmly than Kahli did, and she met her gaze. “Duvos could strike at any moment,” she said evenly. “I’m sorry, Kahli. If you really want to help, then you will do as I say. You will stay out of the way where it will be safest. Do I make myself clear?”</p><p>Kahli’s voice was soft when she spoke again. “You can’t… No. Not Arlo. Please.”</p><p>At that moment, the door opened, momentarily easing the tension in the room as Mason came running in. He ran to his father first, looking up at him with a grin on his face. But when his father did not respond as he usually did, he turned to regard the other adults in the room.</p><p>“Aunty Sam!” He ran to Sam, and Sam forced a smile.</p><p>“You’re filthy,” she said. “Go wash up.”</p><p>Sonia, Alby, and Emily stepped inside, mid-conversation, but their smiles disappeared when they saw the others.</p><p>“What’s going on here?” Emily asked.</p><p>“Nothing,” Gale said. “We were just leaving.”</p><p>Mali nodded, and one by one, they filed out, leaving Arlo and Kahli behind.</p><p>“Who died?” Sonia asked with a frown.</p><p>“No one,” Kahli muttered.</p><p>“Okay,” Emily said slowly. “Well, you have your kid back, now.”</p><p>Kahli nodded. “Thanks.”</p><p>The two women regarded one another, then left with a simple ‘see ya later.’</p><p>Kahli felt frozen in place. She wanted to go to Arlo, to find reassurance in his arms, but for the first time since she had come to Portia, Arlo seemed terrified. He met her gaze with unease, his forehead creased deeply with worry. All they could do was stare at one another in silence. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Mama? What’s for dinner?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kahli glanced at her son. She and Arlo were seated at the table, and Mason took the opportunity to climb onto his mother’s lap.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Was he really hungry already? Or, perhaps a better question was, was it really time for dinner already? It had been a couple hours since Mali told her everything, and for the most part, Mason kept himself entertained. Kahli and Arlo, however, had hardly spoken. Kahli had no appetite, and she was sure Arlo didn’t, either. Still, she needed to take care of her child. Her child that she would be leaving. And then he would be shipped off to stay with her aunt. And who knows what would happen to his parents. He would be raised alone, like she was, and grow to become a bitter, sarcastic little shit of a person.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She couldn’t help but to smile at that. She laughed, then rolled her eyes and shook her head, muttering to herself. She glanced at Arlo, who regarded her with confused bewilderment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What is so funny?” he nearly hissed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shit,” she said. “He’s going to grow up without his parents and end up just like me.” It wasn’t funny, really, but the more she thought of it, the harder she laughed. But then another thought occurred to her, and she stopped laughing very suddenly, her face paling. “Just like me,” she said softly. She glanced down at the child on her lap, and he looked up and met her gaze with a smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m gunna be like you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kahli hesitated. “I don’t know,” she said slowly. “I don’t even know who I am.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can I be a knight?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kahli swallowed. That was exactly what she hoped he wouldn’t be. Was it possible that he would inherit the same abilities she likely inherited from her father? Though, without proper training, he’d never be able to use them, and likely would never even know he had them. Like her. She wanted to be sick all over again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo sighed heavily, bringing her out of her thoughts, and he ran his hands through his hair in exasperation. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How about some pancakes?” Kahli asked her son.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“For the love of - stop making him pancakes,” Arlo muttered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kahli sneered at him. “The damn kid wants pancakes, he’s gonna get pancakes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mason frowned. “Don’t fight.” His lip trembled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re not fighting,” Kahli said. She held him in her arms and stood, then sat him on the counter. She forced a smile. “You can have all the pancakes you want, yeah?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mason threw his arms in the air. “Pancakes!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kahli set to work in the kitchen preparing his dinner. She spoke to him over her shoulder as she cooked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you think about going on a trip?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where we goin’?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well,” Kahli started. “Mum and Dad have to go somewhere… for a little bit. So, while we’re gone, you’re going to live with Aunt Kendra.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mason frowned. “Mama,” he whined. “Why?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You remember Aunt Kendra, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She smells funny.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kahli forced a smile, but her eyes started to well. “She’ll take good care of you,” she said softly, her voice cracking. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But not forever, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kahli did not answer him. She flipped the finished pancakes onto a plate and placed it in front of her son. She looked past him towards Arlo. His forehead was creased deeply as he stared at the table. To her relief, Mason had forgotten his heavy loaded question already, happily diving into his dinner. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kahli took it upon herself to take care of their child, and once he was finished with his dinner, she gave him a bath, then put him to bed. In that time, Arlo had barely moved from his place at the table in the dimly lit room. With Mason asleep, Kahli returned and sat in front of Arlo. He looked up briefly and met her gaze.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know,” she started softly. “I was kind of counting on you to have shit together right now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo pulled his gaze away. “I know. I’m sorry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s alright,” she said. “You deserve to not have it together once in a while. And even though I feel like puking, I think I can handle it for both of us right now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo shook his head. “I should have known it would come to this,” he said. “I refused to believe it. I didn’t want to worry about it. I thought there was more time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And you think worrying about it would have been better?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo sighed. “I dunno.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, it’s happening, whether we like it or not, and it doesn’t seem like there’s anything we can do about it.” She swallowed. “Mason will go to Barnarock. I will go to Lucien. You will go to Atara.” Her throat tightened painfully, making it difficult to breathe. “I don’t want him to grow up like I did,” she said softly. “I… we can’t lose you, Arlo.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They fell silent once more. Kahli focused on not breaking down completely. After a moment, she regained herself, and she spoke.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wish… I wish we never found All Source. If I had just done things differently. If I never bothered with those ruins, or with Django. If I had never come to Portia…” She met Arlo’s gaze. “Things would have been better if I never came to Portia. For everyone.” Her eyes started to well once more. “I brought this with me. Everything is my fault. I never should have come here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s not true,” Arlo said fiercely. “Whether you were here or not, Mali still would have come to find All Source. She likely still would have found it, and everything would be exactly the same. Except you wouldn’t be here with me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kahli sniffed. Her tears rolled down her face and dripped onto the table. “You said you wouldn’t leave,” she said softly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo stood and moved to her side, taking her into his arms. “You know this isn’t by choice,” he said. “But I promise you I will come back.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kahli sobbed against his chest. “You can’t make that kind of a promise. You don’t know what will happen.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was right, of course. Arlo wanted desperately to comfort her, to tell her everything would be okay, but the truth was, he couldn’t be sure. He couldn’t make that promise to her and break her heart if something were to happen. He couldn’t be the support she needed, and his heart broke. He pressed her forehead against her and closed his eyes. Suddenly, their time together was limited. The clock ticked, and there was nothing he could do to stop time. But he would be damned if he didn’t take advantage of every moment he had left with her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He pulled her chin up and his lips hovered above hers for a moment. Their gazes met briefly, and he pressed against her, kissing her deeply. They remained in their embrace for a moment in the dimly lit room before Arlo took her hand and led her upstairs. They removed their clothes quickly and dropped onto the bed. Kahli lay on top of Arlo, meeting his gaze. Their foreheads touched, and she closed her eyes with a soft sigh. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>*****</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They could not stop the morning from coming, but they cherished the warm light that streamed through the window and onto their faces. Kahli smiled when she heard the soft footsteps of her son entering the room, and he climbed onto the bed and on top of his father, poking at his nose as Arlo started to wake.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you have any idea what time it is?” Arlo asked groggily.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Pancake time?” his son asked, hopeful.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo sighed heavily. “Your mother really isn’t cut out for this parenting thing, is she?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Excuse me for spoiling him a little bit,” Kahli said with a yawn.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“When was the last time he ate a vegetable?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Emmy gives me carrots!” Mason sat upright on his father. “And sugar cubes!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo’s brow furrowed and he turned his gaze to the son. “What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sometimes hay!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kahli snickered beside Arlo.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mason nodded. “I put it in my mouth like a farmer!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, Light,” Arlo muttered. “It will probably be good for you to go to Barnarock. Interact with some normal people for a change.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You haven’t met my aunt,” Kahli said. “She’ll have him a gambling, poker pro in no time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo considered this for a moment. “Maybe he could win us some money and we could retire.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kahli laughed and sat up. She kissed Arlo, then Mason, then rolled out of bed and hurried into the bathroom. Mostly, she had to pee. But her mind had drifted back to the day before, and her limited time with her family. The twisting, nauseating feeling returned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So,” Mason started slowly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo sighed and pushed his son off of him. He bounced against the bed giggling as Arlo stood. Arlo grabbed him and swung him over his shoulder, upside down.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, yeah,” he said as he carried his son out of the room. “You can have your pancakes. But you’re gonna eat some fruit, too.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>“Are you getting divorced?”</p><p>Sonia, Emily, and Petra stared at her. Kahli looked down into her bottle with a frown.</p><p>“No,” she said slowly. “No, we’re fine.”</p><p>“Then what the hell is going on?” Sonia demanded.</p><p>Kahli pressed her lips together. It was midafternoon, too early for the dinner rush, but quiet after the lunch rush, which seemed the most ideal time to tell her friends that she would be leaving Portia. Of course, she couldn’t exactly tell them why, but she had to tell them <em> something. </em></p><p>“I just have… something I need to take care of,” Kahli said. “Back at home.”</p><p>“By yourself?” Emily asked. Her gaze narrowed suspiciously. “Arlo and Mason aren’t going with you?”</p><p>“Arlo needs to stay here. You know. Civil Corps captain and all.” She shrugged. “And the trip will be too long for Mason.”</p><p>They exchanged glances.</p><p>“And you’re coming back?” Petra asked.</p><p>Sonia scoffed and rolled her eyes. “She’s leaving town,” she said frankly. “She ain’t coming back.”</p><p>“Do you really think if I were running away, I’d tell you guys?” Kahli raised a brow at them. </p><p>“I guess she has a point,” Emily said.</p><p>“I’ll be back,” Kahli tried to assure them. She hesitated. “I don’t know when. But I plan on coming back as soon as I can.”</p><p>The door opened, and the four of them turned their gazes to Sam as she entered.</p><p>“Kahli’s leaving Portia,” Emily said abruptly.</p><p>Sam paused in the doorway for a moment, blinking at them. She met Kahli’s gaze. “You told them?”</p><p>Sonia slammed her hands down on the bar. “You knew before we did?”</p><p>“Sam was with me last night when I got my aunt’s letter,” Kahli said quickly. She held her gaze on Sam, then smiled. “Right?”</p><p>Sam nodded. “Yeah. That’s right.”</p><p>“I told you,” Kahli said, turning back to Emily, Sonia, and Petra. “I just need to help her with some things. Take care of some family matters. And I’ll be back right after.”</p><p>Sam took the empty seat at the bar beside Petra.</p><p>“So, everything’s fine?” Emily asked. “You’re not getting divorced?”</p><p>Kahli shook her head.</p><p>Emily sighed in relief. “I thought you let Sonia get to you for a second, there.”</p><p>“The spark is still there,” Kahli reassured them.</p><p>“If it wasn’t, it will be when you get back,” Sonia said. “You’ll probably make another kid.”</p><p>Kahli hesitated. “I think Mason’s enough.”</p><p>Sonia grinned. “Yeah, he’s kind of a weird kid. Like you.”</p><p>“Speaking of people leaving,” Petra chimed in. “I heard Nora came back.”</p><p>Kahli glanced at her and frowned. “She did?”</p><p>“I think she got in late last night,” Petra continued conversationally. “I bumped into Lee this morning. Said she was still settling in from the trip. It’ll be nice to see her again, though. I guess she really liked being here in Portia. I think Lee likes having her back, too.”</p><p>“Kahli’s leaving. Nora’s back.” Sonia sighed. “Maybe Aadit will come back, too.” She grinned at Kahli. “I’m starting to think you’re just bad luck.”</p><p>Kahli quickly finished her beer. “Probably,” she muttered. It did seem to feel that way. Since the day she came to Portia, it seemed everything that could go wrong did go wrong. From polluted waters, to illnesses and death, mysterious runaways and rogue knights. The more she thought about it, the more Sonia’s harmless comment seemed to be confirmed. Maybe leaving would be the best thing for the people of Portia. And just when she finally felt like she had a place where she belonged. </p><p>“So, when are you leaving?” Emily asked.</p><p>“End of the week.”</p><p>Emily sighed. “It’s going to be so weird without you.”</p><p>“I’m sure no one will even notice.”</p><p>“I’ll notice,” Sonia said. “You’re my best customer!”</p><p>Petra nodded. “You’re one of the few people who actually visit the research center.”</p><p>Kahli finished her beer, then fished through her pocket for her payment. “Guess I’ll have to find a new bar and some new friends.”</p><p>“Rude,” Emily said with a pout.</p><p>Kahli offered her friends a smile. “Make sure Arlo doesn’t drop my kid, alright?”</p><p>Sonia scoffed. “Yeah, Kahli did that enough.”</p><p>“It was one time!”</p><p>“Wait, for real?” Sam asked.</p><p>Kahli laughed nervously. “Kidding!”</p><p>“Would explain a lot,” Emily said.</p><p>Kahli stood. “I don’t need this kind of negativity in my life.”</p><p>“So, we’ll see ya tomorrow, then?” Petra said with a grin.</p><p>Kahli sighed. “Yeah, yeah.” She waved a hand over her shoulder as she walked out of the bar.</p><p>The afternoon sun was bright compared to the dimly lit restaurant, and when she stepped into the plaza, she paused to let her eyes adjust. As soon as they did, her gaze landed on Nora, standing with Lee just by the fountain. Their gazes turned to Kahli when the door closed behind her, and Nora smiled and waved to her.</p><p>Kahli lew out a sigh, blowing her hair out of her face, then walked over to them. She met Nora’s gaze and offered her a warm smile.</p><p>“I thought I heard you came back,” she said.</p><p>“It’s so good to see you!” But Nora’s smile quickly turned downward. “Though, rumor has it you won’t be sticking around?”</p><p>Kahli hesitated. It seemed nothing could be kept quiet for long in this town. “Well,” she started.</p><p>“Arlo told me last night,” Nora continued.</p><p>“Uh. What?”</p><p>“I hope everything is alright with your Aunt Kendra.”</p><p>Kahli blinked at her. “What?”</p><p>Nora raised a confused brow. “Your Aunt Kendra? Arlo said you had to go back to Barnarock.”</p><p>“Right, yeah,” Kahli said quickly. “No. Yeah. Everything’s fine. Just, uh, gotta help her take care of some things.”</p><p>“I hope you won’t be away for too long,” Nora said, her smile returning. “I was looking forward to catching up with you.”</p><p>“Yeah, well, you can always catch up with Arlo.” She sneered slightly as she spoke, immediately regretting the comment. She met Nora’s confused gaze, but after a moment, she smiled.</p><p>“Arlo has told me so much about Mason,” she said. “I can’t wait to see him!”</p><p>“Yup. He’s a kid.”</p><p>Nora’s brow furrowed. “Is everything okay?”</p><p>“No. Yeah. I just have a lot on my mind. And I need to, you know, get ready to leave.”</p><p>Nora nodded. “Don’t leave without saying bye, yeah?”</p><p>“Yeah, sure.” She forced a smile. “Well, welcome back to Portia.” She said goodbye to Lee, then turned away and left the plaza. </p><p>The sight that awaited her at home should not have come as a surprise to her. Still, when she walked through the door, she was caught off guard by her energetic child running naked in circles. Arlo was laid out on the couch, his legs draping over the arm, and he groaned softly.</p><p>“What -” Kahli started.</p><p>“Are you sure you can’t take him with you?” Arlo said. “I have zero control over this situation.”</p><p>“Why is he naked?”</p><p>Arlo sat up and sneered. “Because he’s your child!”</p><p>“I don’t run around naked,” Kahli sneered back. “Why does everyone keep saying that?”</p><p>A smile pulled at Arlo’s lips. “Because you’re both weirdos.”</p><p>“That’s very offensive to the community of the odd.”</p><p>“That sounds like a cult.”</p><p>Kahli pushed Arlo over, clearing a space for her to sit beside him on the couch. She dropped with a heavy sigh. “Can you handle this?”</p><p>Arlo leaned against her. They watched in silence as Mason continued to run and shout, making airplane sounds as he pretended to soar through the sky. </p><p>“Probably not,” Arlo said.</p><p>“That’s reassuring,” Kahli muttered. </p><p>“I don’t know what I’m going to do,” Arlo started softly. “You’ll be gone. And if… when… who’s going to take care of him?”</p><p>“Oh, how about Nora?” She folded her arms over her chest and huffed. “She’s back in town.”</p><p>Arlo glanced at her and frowned. “What’s wrong with you?”</p><p>Kahli blew angrily at her hair. “You didn’t tell me you and Nora were hanging out last night.”</p><p>Arlo blinked at her. “What?”</p><p>“We have a child, you know!”</p><p>Arlo laughed. “Are you being serious?”</p><p>Kahli met his gaze with an unamused expression. </p><p>“Oh, for the love of - I met her at the port when her boat came in! With Mayor Gale!”</p><p>“Oh, is that all?”</p><p>“It’s my job, you know.”</p><p>Kahli slouched back against the couch, her arms still crossed. “This is how it starts,” she said. “I leave and you revert back to your stupid old self with your weird I-dunno-if-I-like-her relationship. Next thing I know, Mason is gonna call Nora Mommy and forget who I am. But you know what? It doesn’t matter because Duvos is going to take over the world and we’ll probably all die anyway. So you know what? You go have fun. Might as well enjoy yourself while you can.”</p><p>“For the love of Peach,” Arlo muttered. “You’re being ridiculous.”</p><p>“Am I?” she sneered, meeting Arlo’s gaze. “I thought you liked me?!”</p><p>“We’re married!”</p><p>“Bah.” Kahli fell back against the couch. “All that is is a piece of paper that says I can take half your shit when you leave me for the church girl.”</p><p>Arlo stood. “Okay,” he started. “I’m going to let this slide because I know you’re just lashing out and you’re not really this psychotic person.”</p><p>Kahli glanced up at him. “Joke’s on you,” she said. “I tried to warn you.”</p><p>Arlo held his hand out, and when Kahli took it, he pulled her to her feet.</p><p>“You don’t really think any of that, do you?”</p><p>Kahli frowned and pulled her gaze away. “No. I guess not.” She let out a sigh. “It’s just. I dunno. It just sounded… better, I guess. You know? Like, of all the terrible things that could happen - that are already happening - I guess I’d rather have our family torn apart over an affair then, you know, with everyone dying or something.” A tear rolled down her cheek, but she laughed. “That’s gotta be a hell of a lot better than all this,” she said. “Wars we can’t win, rogue knights, and whatever the fuck I’m supposed to be in all of this!” She met his gaze. “Things could have been different. None of this would have happened if I had never come here.”</p><p>Arlo frowned. “Kahli,” he started softly. “If you hadn’t come to Portia, everything would be the same. Mali still would have come and would have found All Source. Everglade and the rogue knight would have still attacked. You being here wouldn’t have changed the course of events in the world.” He paused. “But it changed the world for me. And I’d like to think it changed your world for the better, too. So, are you trying to tell me that all of this means nothing to you?”</p><p>“No,” Kahli said quietly. She closed her eyes, leaned against his chest, and sobbed. “You and Mason are everything to me,” she said. “And now it’s all being taken away.”</p><p>Arlo wrapped his arms around her and kissed her head. “We’ll get through this,” he said. “I promise.”</p><p>She shook her head. “You can’t make that promise. We don’t know what’s going to happen.”</p><p>“Maybe not,” Arlo started. “But I made a promise to you. I promised I would never leave. And I won’t break that promise.”</p><p>Kahli closed her eyes. It was a foolish promise to make, and she was sure he knew that as well as she did. Still, it seemed it was all they had left in that moment. With their future so unclear, it was all she had to hold on to; a small hope that in the end, everything would work out, and they would be together again.</p><p>She realized then how silent the house had become. She opened her eyes to see that at some point, Mason had taken a moment to dress himself, though his clothes were disheveled and dirty. He was no longer running around pretending to be an airplane, but instead had a stick in his hand. He held it out in front of him like a sword, and he swung it back and forth with a childish war cry.</p><p>“Die!” he shouted, then lunged at his invisible foe. “Don’t mess with the Corps!”</p><p>Kahli felt Arlo sigh.</p><p>“He’s going to get in so much trouble when he gets older.”</p><p>Kahli smiled. “Yeah. It’s in his blood.”</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>
  <span>The rest of the week went on uneventfully, and Kahli tried to make the most of every moment she had in Portia with her friends and family. But before she knew it, Friday had come, and as Mali promised, a plane waited for her in the desert to bring her away from the place she called home and to Lucien.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She had already said goodbye to everyone the night before, choosing to leave quietly the following morning. She packed a few things with her, making sure to take her father’s sword with her for protection. With the Civil Crops at her side, she met Mali’s soldiers where they waited at the bridge to escort her across the desert. She pulled back on her reins and Star stopped before the soldiers. Sam and her horse trotted to her side, and she met Sam’s gaze, hesitant.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll come out with you,” Sam offered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kahli glanced back where Arlo and Remington waited on their own horses, and Arlo nodded to her. She sucked in a breath and pulled her gaze away. She had already said goodbye to Arlo and Mason, and though she didn’t want to draw out the moment any longer than it needed to be, she knew this would be the last time she would see Arlo for what could have been a very long time. For years, he was a constant in her life, always at her side when she needed him most.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It seemed she had become dependent on him over the years. Though to say she was independent before wasn’t necessarily accurate. The truth was, she was alone. She had always felt alone. For most of her life, she thought she would just have to be accustomed to that kind of life. But that all changed when she met Arlo. And now it seemed she was moving backwards. She would have to learn to be alone again. Hopefully not for long.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She glanced at Sam, then picked up her reins once more, encouraging Star forward. They had already said their goodbyes the night before. It was best for both of them to remain strong, now. A clean break, she supposed. Lingering a moment more would have caused her to break. It took everything in her to remain as composed as possible. Still, her eyes welled. She didn’t dare glance back at him as Star moved forward, falling in step with the other horses around them as they were escorted across the bridge, into the desert, and away from Portia. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo and Remington remained until they slowly disappeared from sight over the horizon. Arlo felt frozen, his chest tight and pained, and he had to force a breath past his closing throat. Without a word, he turned his horse around, and they rode side by side back towards town in silence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The people of Portia continued about their day, aware that Kahli was gone, but believing that it was only a short absence and she would return to her family - her home - soon. They were unaware of the state of the world, though he had a feeling that things would happen soon. And it was his duty to protect them from Duvos’s threats. He still had a job to do, and he forced himself to keep his composure so as not to cause worry. They rode into the plaza, offering greetings to those who passed by them cheerfully, blissfully unaware.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mayor Gale and Presley approached them as Arlo and Remington dismounted from their horses.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I trust everything went smoothly?” Gale asked Arlo, and Arlo simply nodded. Gale let out a short breath.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good,” he said. “I know Kahli will be safe in Lucien. And I’ve gotten word that Kendra will be arriving tomorrow to bring Mason to Barnarock. She should be coming into the port in the morning.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo felt overwhelmed. In the span of twenty-four hours, he would lose his wife and his son, with no real certainty that he would see either of them again. He swallowed at the lump that started to form in his throat. To his relief, Remington spoke.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Have you heard from Mali?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gale hesitated. “Yes, briefly,” he said. “She said she would return soon. Though, I don’t suspect she will have good news for us.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Spacer pawed the ground anxiously and Arlo patted the horse’s neck. Across the plaza, he saw Mason and Alby playing as Sonia and Emily chatted casually. Nora was with the two boys, listening animatedly as they chatted excitedly with her. She looked up and met Arlo’s gaze, then smiled. Mason took her hand then and pulled her across the plaza towards his father.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s Spacer!” the child said, pointing up at the horse.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nora laughed lightly. “Yes, I know Spacer,” she said, then offered the horse a carrot.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Daddy lets me sit on him.” Mason turned an expectant gaze to his father. But before he could say anything, Nora was lifting his son and placing him gently on the horse’s back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There you go,” she said with a smile. “You look like a real hero up there!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah!” Mason cheered. “Daddy’s gonna get me one when I’m older.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think you’re putting words in my mouth, kid,” Arlo muttered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You said!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I say a lot of things,” Arlo said dryly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Spacer snorted and shook his head and Mason frowned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s wrong with him?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo patted the horse’s neck again in an attempt to calm him. “I dunno,” Arlo said. “Maybe he’s afraid I’ll give him to you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mason giggled and Nora lifted him off the horse and placed him back on the ground. Without another word, Mason took off running, returning to play with Alby.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nora looked around at the four men, then frowned. “Am I interrupting?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not at all,” Presley said. “We were just making sure Kahli got off alright.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh,” Nora said softly. “She left? I hope everything is alright with her family.” Her brow furrowed. “She seemed very distracted when we spoke the other day.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She has a lot on her mind,” Remington offered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nora nodded. “I hope she can come back home soon.” She smiled at Arlo. “Think you guys can manage without her? Mason seems like a handful.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s an understatement,” Arlo said. He hesitated. “I’m sure we’ll manage.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, you know what they say,” Nora started. “It takes a village, right? And you’ve got a village here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo frowned. There was truth behind her words, but she had no idea the weight that those words carried, uncertain what kind of future his son would have. But he desperately pushed those thoughts aside for the time being. It was still early in the day, but he already felt exhausted. All he wanted to do was get home and take a nap.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was at that moment, however, that the sound of galloping hooves caught his attention. They turned their gazes to the entrance of the plaza, watching from a distance as two riderless horses galloped up the road. They slowed to a trot as they entered the plaza and stopped abruptly before Arlo and Remington. They snorted and shook their heads anxiously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s-” Remington started, but Arlo was already climbing onto Spacer’s back. Remington hurriedly followed suit as Arlo kicked his horse forward. With Remington just a few paces behind, they galloped out of the plaza and across the rolling hills of Portia, over the river, and out toward the desert. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo’s mind raced faster than the horses traveled, anxiety growing in the pit of his stomach. He couldn’t imagine any good reason as to why Kahli and Sam’s horses returned in distress and without their riders. Something had to have happened, but despite how fast he pushed Spacer, time seemed to stand still.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But as they raced across the desert, they saw the black plumes of smoke, and they followed it until they found its source. The horses slowed as they neared, and Arlo’s heart sank as he looked over the wreckage before them. The helicopter that had landed to meet Kahli and Sam lay toppled against the ground, burning in a heavy inferno. Black smoke billowed into the sky. Broken pieces of the helicopter’s blades lay scattered amongst the debris. A handful of soldiers lay among the wreckage, covered in ash and blood on blood stained sands. A couple stirred as they came to, and they groaned and held their heads in their hands. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But Sam’s voice pulled their attention to her, and Arlo slid off his horse and hurried to her side. She was lying on the ground, muttering, her hand pressed against a deep wound on her head. Blood dripped down the side of her face, caked with ash and dust.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Remington ripped at his shirt and pressed the cloth against the wound. She winced and groaned, and her eyes opened, meeting their gazes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What the fuck happened?” Arlo barked frantically. “Where’s Kahli?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sam’s eyes closed. Her voice cracked when she spoke. “I don’t… I don’t know.” She sobbed. “The… pirates. It was her. Everglade. They attacked.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where’s Kahli?!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sam sobbed. “I don’t know,” she said. “Arlo. They took her. She’s gone.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The world was a blur. Around him, people hurried about, moving frantically, shouting to one another. He held Sam in his arms, and she cried against him. He felt frozen in place; all he could do was watch as Remington hurried to help the other soldiers. He turned to Arlo, his brows furrowed fiercely together, and shouted to him, but Arlo could not hear him. He felt Sam being pulled away from him, and he choked out a sob. He reached for her, but Remington came into his view once more, a hand on his shoulder. He shook him forcefully, bringing Arlo’s focus back on reality.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The stench reached his senses first. The smell of thick smoke and hot, burning metal. Gasoline. Charred flesh and hair. Blood. And amongst all that, the smell of a nearby oasis. Pure and fresh, like water and palm trees and cacti. It brought forth a comforting memory of the day he proposed to Kahli.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But the memory was quickly replaced as the shouting reached his ears. Soldiers darted about between the wreckage and their comrades. There were more than he remembered seeing, and it was only in that moment that he noticed the second helicopter that stood several yards away from the wreckage. Above them, he heard the distinct sound of an engine, and he looked up as a plane came in low, passing overhead and landing several more yards away. The door opened, and Mali jumped out and hurried to them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The hand tightened on his shoulder, and he met Remington’s gaze. He looked past him. Sam was seated on a vehicle, and Dr. Xu was looking her over carefully. Mayor Gale was there, too, but he stepped away to meet Mali as she ran to them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What the fuck happened?” Gale sneered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo let Remington pull him to his feet. He felt tired, but he fought to remain focused. His brow furrowed fiercely as he tried to recall exactly what had just happened. It seemed as if he had blacked out the moment he saw the wreckage, but slowly, it all came back to him. The lifeless bodies that he and Remington tried to gather together. Sam’s sobs. The metallic smell of blood and death. At one point, Arlo had ordered one of the soldiers to go to Portia and get Xu. It felt like a dream; he couldn’t recall actually doing any of it, his body moving automatically. But it had become too much for him, when Xu and Gale finally showed and the second helicopter landed with more soldiers, he retreated to comfort Sam, watching and waiting as Mali’s men took over the situation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We received a mayday,” Mali said. “The pilot said they were being attacked. We were just returning to Lucien. We came as soon as we could.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sam said it was Everglade,” Remington explained. He shook his head. “We weren’t here when it happened. But she said they attacked and took Kahli.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shit,” Mali spat. “They know about her.” Her voice rose, and she shouted at them. “Who knows about her?!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It felt as if everything snapped back into focus for Arlo in that moment, and anger quickly overwhelmed him, replacing his fear and grief. His fingers curled into his palms, his knuckles whitening, and he breathed heavily through his tightening chest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t believe anyone outside of ua does,” Gale said, his voice hard but even.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t suppose it was Maurice?” Remington asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was a heavy question. One none of them could answer. It would have meant one of two things; either Maurice was a traitor, just as the rogue knight was, or they got the information out of Maurice some other way, which would have certainly led to his death as soon as they got the information they wanted. It seemed the only logical explanation. No one else knew about her outside of Mali, Gale, Django, and the Civil Corps.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo met Mali’s gaze. It seemed this thought occurred to her just as it did him. There was a strong possibility that one of them was a traitor. He didn’t want to believe that of any one of them, but he knew better than to let his emotions cloud his judgement. His brows knit together fiercely as he looked over each of them, meeting their gazes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know how they found out about her,” Mali started. “But they know who she is. My guess is that they’re going to use her to lure Maurice to them. If they can’t convince the knights to join them in this war, then they will do everything to ensure that we don’t have them at our advantage.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They’ll kill her,” Remington hissed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That is unlikely,” Mali said. “If they wanted her dead, they would have killed her right there and then. She’s untrained and vulnerable. That’s exactly what they want. If they know what she is capable of, they can mold her and use her to their advantage. Duvos will not hesitate to use unethical methods to completely alter her. They will manipulate her in order to gain control and use her against us.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you going to do about it?” Arlo snapped.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mali met his gaze. “Nothing,” she said. “Not right now.” Her forehead creased deeply. “Do you see the mess I have on my hands right now?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is a mess to you?” Arlo practically roared.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re lucky Sam is alive,” Mali barked. “Two of my men are dead. They would all be dead if Everglade wasn’t in a hurry. We won’t be so fortunate next time we encounter her. Let me take care of my men right now. We have no idea what is going on. We have no information at this time, so there’s nothing we can act on. Pull yourself together. If you can’t get a level head, then get out of my fucking way.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo fumed, but said nothing further. A quiet sob from Sam caught his attention, and he moved his gaze to her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Get out of here,” Mali said. “Get back to Portia. Let me take care of this. We don’t need all of Portia in a panic. Make sure everyone stays out of the desert. We don’t know who has eyes on the area and we cannot afford another attack. I will find you as soon as this is cleared up. Do not make any rash moves until we can talk this over.  Do you understand me, Captain?”</span>
</p><p><span>Arlo swallowed and nodded.</span><span><br/></span> <span>Without another word, Mali turned her back to them and moved to assist the rest of her soldiers. With Sam comfortably on the back of the vehicle, Gale climbed in beside Dr. Xu. Remington and Arlo returned to their horses, then followed the vehicle out of the desert and back to Portia.</span></p><p> </p><p>
  <span>***** </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sam slept soundly as Dr. Xu checked her vitals. The heart monitor beeped rhythmically. Except for a minor concussion and the laceration on her head that needed stitches, Sam was well. In shock, certainly, but even that had started to wear away once they returned home, and she would sleep the rest of it off. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Xu adjusted the blankets around her, then pulled the curtain around her bed and turned to Arlo and Remington. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You sure you guys are alright?” he asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Remington hesitated and glanced at Arlo.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes,” Arlo insisted shortly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Xu nodded. “You should get some rest,” he said. “She’ll be fine. I’ll let you know as soon as she wakes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo nodded once, and with another word, he turned and left the clinic. Remington hesitated, glancing at Xu before following Arlo outside. It was just after noon, the sun still high in the sky, shining bright and warm upon the world. The people of Portia were still unaware of what had happened that morning, and they went about their business in blissful ignorance. Arlo hardly noticed them as they made their way into the plaza. He did not return their greetings, even walking right past Nora as he made his way into Gale’s office.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gale was leaning against his desk when they entered. Presley stood before him, his arms crossed. Their brows were creased deeply, their gazes on the floor as if deep in thought. They looked up when Arlo and Remington entered. Gale’s face softened slightly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How’s Sam?” he asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fine,” Arlo replied.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gale nodded. “Good, good,” he said quietly. He let out a heavy sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose, then shook his head. “I’m sorry, Arlo, but I must ask this.” He met his gaze, his expression fierce. “Do you have any reason at all to believe that someone here could be a mole?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo held the mayor’s gaze. He felt Remington’s gaze on him. But he answered Gale’s question confidently. “No.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gale was quiet, holding Arlo’s gaze a moment more. He let out another sigh, softer this time. “Mali will want to conduct a thorough investigation,” he said. “Everyone here will be a suspect.” He hesitated. “Including Mali and anyone on her team.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That could take a long time,” Remington said. “We don’t have time for this sort of investigation.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We have no leads -”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Duvos attacked us,” Arlo snapped. “They took Kahli! We know who did it!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gale raised a hand. “But what we don’t know is how they found out about her,” he reminded him. “And until we can figure out who leaked that information, we must be very careful with how we proceed. Any decisions we make could be used against us. We must tread lightly.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo bit the corner of his lower lip hard.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right now, it’s important that we do everything we can to keep Portia safe and make sure no word of what happened gets out to the public. There is no doubt in my mind that we are at war with Duvos, now., which means this is completely out of our hands. We are at the mercy of the Alliance. But.” He hesitated. “For now, Mali is on our side. She will let them know what happened. She will help us get Kahli back. I know you will want to be a part of this, Arlo. I will do everything I can to support you. But as long as we are a part of this war, we must take precautions. Once Mali takes care of her men, she will return, and we will discuss the plan going forward.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Every second they have her -”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There is nothing we can do right now.” Gale’s voice rose slightly, hardening. “You </span>
  <em>
    <span>know </span>
  </em>
  <span>we cannot chase after them unprepared. I know this is hard for you, Arlo, but as the captain of this branch, you must remain level headed about this. We cannot afford any mistakes or reckless behavior. Can you handle this? Or do I need to find someone else to replace you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo stared at him blankly for a moment, then his gaze narrowed. “I can handle it,” he hissed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gale held his gaze on Arlo a moment, then nodded. “I got word that Mason and Kendra arrived at Barnarock safely,” he added. “Why don’t you two get some rest? I’m sure we’ll be hearing from Mali soon.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo took that as his dismissal, and without another word, he left the office, stepping back outside and into the plaza. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you-” Remington started, but Arlo cut him off sharply.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m going home and I’m going to bed,” he sneered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Arlo.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He nearly cursed out loud. He turned to the voice as Nora approached them. She was smiling, but it wavered when she met Arlo’s gaze.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey,” she said. “Did Kahli get off okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes,” Remington answered for him, and her gaze shifted to him. “She left this morning.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Living the bachelor lifestyle for a while, huh?” she teased Arlo, but her smile faded when she saw that Arlo was unamused. He stepped around her and made his way across the plaza toward home.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nora hesitated, then turned to Remington. “Did I say something wrong?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Remington forced a smile. “It’s been a long day,” he said simply. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The sun had set, and the streetlights turned on to illuminate the town. Most had retreated to the restaurant for the evening to share in food and drink, but Nora stood alone in the plaza by the fountain, her gaze turned up to the hill where the Civil Corps building was nestled between the trees. Her lips twisted to the side in thought. It had been a couple of years since she left Portia, and while it seemed unchanged on the outside, she suspected something deeper plagued the town. Though most of its citizens seemed unaware of this, she could see it in the eyes of the Civil Corps. Even more curious, there seemed to be tension between Arlo and Kahli. It seemed odd that as soon as she arrived, Kahli was gone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And that wasn’t all. What was even more apparent was the change in Mayor Gale’s behavior. From what she had heard since returning, he seemed to change after Ginger’s death. Her heart broke for the mayor and all his family had endured over the years. Surely losing Ginger was hard for them. It hardened the mayor. He was no longer the joyful and boisterous mayor they had once known. His face was serious, his forehead often creased as if something were on his mind. She was uncertain if the tension in the town also played a part in his behavior, or perhaps she was simply reading too much into it. She had been gone for a while, afterall. She just needed to get back into a routine. It was probably all in her imagination. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She heard footsteps shuffling down the road, and she turned and smiled at Arlo as he came into the plaza. But he did not return her greeting. His hands were shoved in his pockets, his forehead creased deeply in the same disturbed expression she had seen on Gale. He looked worn and beaten, and Nora frowned when his gaze met her’s.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey,” she said softly. “Long time no see.” She offered a smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo paused. “Yeah. Welcome back.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s good to be back,” she said. She hesitated. “Though, things do seem a little different.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How so?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not really sure,” she started. “I mean, Mayor Gale has definitely changed, but I heard about Ginger.” She paused. “You seem different, too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is everything alright? I hope I didn’t upset you earlier or anything.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You didn’t.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh.” She cleared her throat. “I was thinking of grabbing dinner. Do you want to come?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He shook his head. “I’ve got work to do.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right, sure. Sorry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why did you come back?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nora hesitated and met his gaze. “Huh? Oh. I dunno. I like Portia. Do I need a reason?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His brows knit together slightly. “You should have stayed.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nora blinked at him. “What? Why?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, Nora!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She turned around to see Emily waving to her, and she smiled in greeting as Emily approached. But as she did, Arlo stepped around her, moving across the plaza and up the path toward the Civil Corps building.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sheesh,” Emily said. “Someone’s sulking.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Huh? Why?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know, because his wifey is gone,” Emily said with a grin. “Took the kid and ran off.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She did?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Emily laughed. “No, not really,” she started. “Had to take care of some family business or something.” She used her fingers to air quote as she spoke, then rolled her eyes. “Whatever that is.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She didn’t say?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” Emily said, then frowned. “I wondered if it had to do with her father. I know they weren’t very close.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right,” Nora said. “Did something happen to him?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Emily shrugged. “Dunno,” she said. “Kahli did elaborate. But I’m sure she’ll be back soon. Arlo will be back to his old self once she comes home, I bet.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re probably right,” Nora said softly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>*****</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mali, Gale, Django, Remington, and even Sam were in the Civil Corps building already when Arlo entered. He frowned when his gaze landed on Sam, her head still bandaged, but she offered him a tired smile in greeting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you doing here?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’ve got shit to take care of,” Sam said frankly. “And you’re not leaving me out of this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sam -”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t argue with me,” Sam interrupted him. “I watched my best friend get kidnapped by that damn bitch pirate.” She hesitated and her face paled slightly. “We gotta get her back.” Her eyes started to well. “It’s my fault…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s no one’s fault,” Remington said to her. “We’ll figure this out.” He turned his gaze to Mali. “Right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mali’s arms were folded over her chest and she nodded. “I don’t have a lot of information right now,” she said. “But I’m going to do everything I can to get Kahli back. It just might take us some time. But I didn’t want to keep you all waiting. We have a lot to discuss.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What is the state of affairs with Duvos?” Gale asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mali dropped her arms and her forehead creased. “I reported the attack to the Alliance,” Mali started. “Everglade and the rogue knight are difficult to track, but we can confirm with certainty that they are working with Duvos. And my men reported that they were not alone. Duvos soldiers were with them at the time of the attack in the desert. Duvos has made their move by striking one of the districts in the Alliance. We are officially at war.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The room fell quiet for a moment. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What is the Alliance’s plan?” Django asked, breaking the silence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“For now, their goal is to up patrols in the cities. Soldiers are being stationed throughout the cities as we speak to help defend from future attacks. However, where they will strike next, we cannot be sure. Right now, their movements are scattered. They’re searching for something. We can only speculate that they are looking for other All Source AIs. With recent events, however, it’s safe to assume they’re seeking out knights as well, or anyone with connection to the remaining knights.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What about Django?” Gale asked. “That rogue knight knows he’s here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You said he escaped, correct?” Mali asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That guy didn’t stand a chance against Django,” Sam said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kahli was an easy target,” Mali said. “I think it’s unlikely he’ll go after Django again. Not right now, anyway. Especially if he thinks Django poses a threat. This could be part of their plan. They may be well aware that they don’t stand a chance against the knights, so they hope to lure them in however they can. That’s not to say that Portia is out of danger, or any of the Free Cities for that matter. Right now, we don’t have any leads on where or when they could strike next. So, the Alliance’s first concern is making sure the cities have appropriate defenses. The Civil Corps are working closely with us. If there’s anything they suspect Duvos could be after, they will report to us. That goes the same for Portia, though I think it’s safe to say we know what Portia has is All Source and Kahli.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And they already got Kahli,” Remington said through his teeth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And The Alliance will do what they can to get her back,” Mali said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The Alliance seems to have their hands full at the moment,” Sam said. “Are they really going to make her a priority?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We don’t even have a clue as to where Everglade would take her,” Mali said. “Tracking Everglade has been difficult. We have a team who have been trying to track her since before they came to Portia. If they were able to do so, they would have been able to stop the attack before it even happened. Getting Kahli back will be no easy matter, and our resources are limited as it is.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It seems to me that The Alliance should probably be focusing their efforts on making sure Duvos doesn’t get their hands on the knights,” Remington said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The knights can handle themselves,” Mali said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t care what The Alliance is doing,” Arlo said. “The longer they drag their feet on this, the greater the chance we lose Kahli.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry,” Mali started, “but I don’t have any more definitive information for you guys right now. The Alliance is focused on protecting the Free Cities. What they will do after that has not been made clear to me. Right now, my job is to make sure the cities are defended from Duvos as best as we can, and to get the Civil Corps together at Lucien.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Us?” Sam said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mali nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But what about Portia?” Remington asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There is a flight coming in tomorrow,” Mali informed them. “The men on that flight will be stationed here to defend Portia.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why can’t we stay here to defend Portia?” Sam asked, hesitant.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because the three of you are part of the Alliance’s military,” Mali said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And your men aren’t?” Remington asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They are,” Mali said. “But they’re of a lower branch, so they are not classified as part of the military. Their experience and services are better suited to defend the cities. We will need all military personnel in Lucien to prepare for an attack against Duvos. This is what you signed up for when you joined the Corps, is it not?” She narrowed her gaze on Sam. “If you’d like to reconsider, I suggest you do that now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” Sam said fiercely. “If you think I’m going to run and hide, then you don’t know me very well.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good,” Mali said. “I don’t think there’s anything further we need to discuss, then. I will have a plane sent here to bring you to Lucien within the next few days.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And what happens in Lucien?” Remington asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You wait for further instruction.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo’s nostrils flared, but before he could argue with her, Mali spoke.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is a delicate situation. I will do everything in my power to get Kahli back, but that will be done on my terms. Are we clear?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I will go, too,” Django said. “You’ll fare better with a knight on this mission.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mali hesitated, but Django spoke again before she could argue.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The knights are just as much a part of this military,” he said. “And when it comes to finding Kahli, you will need my expertise. We don’t know how she will be when we find her. I can help her control her ability if she needs it. Without my guidance, she could be dangerous. An uncontrolled ability can get out of hand very quickly, whether she means it to or not.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mali nodded. “I will bring this up to the Alliance,” she said. “I know it goes without saying, but you must be careful, Django. Duvos is doing everything they can to leave us at a disadvantage. The rogue knight might have left you alone for now, but that does not mean that they will next time you encounter them. They’ve got a plan. They’re waiting for their opportunity. Do not underestimate them.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Django nodded. “Understood.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good.” Mali glanced at each of them before finally turning to Gale. “I hate to run after the day you’ve all had, but I must get back to Lucien.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gale nodded to her and Mali turned back to the four of them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll see you all soon, then.” And with that, she left them alone in the Civil Corps building. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The room was quiet as they looked uneasily to one another. But Arlo’s gaze remained fixated on the floor, his brow furrowed fiercely. All day, he had done nothing. He waited for word from Mali, from word from the Alliance, but Kahli was not a priority. Were the circumstances different - if he was in a different mindset - he probably could have understood. There were other priorities to take care of before they went after a missing person who wasn’t even a knight. But Kahli was his priority, and he had sat and done nothing. And what was worse, he realized then that there was nothing he could have done, anyway. Not unless he ran through the desert himself, and as desperate as he was to find her, he knew even that would have gotten him nowhere.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was nothing he could do. At least, not until he could get to Lucien. Which meant he had to continue to sit and wait while Kahli was out there. Anger and grief boiled inside of him, and out of his frustration, he shouted and turned around and punched a hole in the wall.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 10</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Do you want something for the pain?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Xu finished wrapping Arlo’s hand and he moved to dig through some cabinets.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” Arlo muttered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Xu glanced at him with a frown. “Alright,” he said. “Suit yourself.” He turned to Arlo. “So, what did the wall do exactly to piss you off?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo glanced at him with a snarl, then without a word, he left the clinic.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Xu hesitated, then glanced at Phyllis, who had a smirk on her face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It hasn’t even been one day,” she commented. “And now he doesn’t even have a hand to keep him busy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Xu rolled his eyes. “Crude.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Outside, Arlo was surprised to see that Sam and Remington had waited for him. It was nearing midnight and the exhaustion of the day was finally starting to hit him. It felt surreal to think that it hadn’t even been a full twenty-four hours since Everglade attacked and kidnapped Kahli. Sam and Remington turned to him with concern written on their faces.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Arlo,” Sam started, her voice breaking. “I did everything I could! Kahli did everything she could! They had us surrounded. I tried, Arlo. I tried. I’m so sorry, Arlo.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tears rolled down her face as she started to unravel. Her voice lowered as she continued to apologize to him, desperately begging for forgiveness. For as long as he had known Sam, she was never one to show fear. In fact, he was almost certain that nothing scared her. She was always willing to go head first into any threat and come out the other side grinning ear to ear. Even when Everglade and the rogue knight first attacked, Sam did not falter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But something was different this time. The threat that hung over them was greater than anything they had encountered. No longer was it rogue AIs or the nuisance of bandirats. This time, it was an entire nation. A nation with a far more advanced military. A nation they didn’t stand a chance against. A nation that had one of their own. War had reached their doorstep. Portia was no longer the safe haven people once sought. Sam was right to be terrified. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Still, he couldn’t bear to see her crumble in front of him. And it just made the situation that much more real, that much more terrifying. Kahli was gone, and he could not be certain if she would live or die. He couldn’t be sure if any of them would live or die. He never felt less uncertain about anything in his life. And as the reality settled in his mind, he, too, felt himself unravel. All the training in the world and all his time in the Corps could not prepare them for the reality of war. What was once a thing of the past was now a part of their reality. The fate of the Free Cities - of the world - rested on their shoulders. And it was a burden far greater than simply running the Portian branch of the Civil Corps. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo pulled Sam into his arms, hugging her tightly. He didn’t know what he could say to comfort her, but he hoped that gesture was enough. And it seemed to be. She quieted slightly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“None of this is your fault,” Arlo said. His voice shook. “Please don’t blame yourself for what happened.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sam pulled away from him. Her eyes were still wet, but she regarded him fiercely.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’ll find her,” she said. “We’ll get her back! Duvos doesn’t know who they’re fucking with!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo forced a smile. “You should be resting,” he said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sam pulled away and frowned. “I hate this,” she said. “I hate sitting here doing nothing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There’s nothing we can do right now,” Remington reminded her. “What we can do is rest up and get ready to go to Lucien.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sam bit the corner of her lip and nodded. “You’re not gonna punch anymore walls, are ya?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo pulled his gaze away. “I’ll save my punches for Everglade,” he muttered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Remington put a hand on his shoulder. “You need to get some rest, too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo nodded. They bid each other a good night, then took their separate ways home for the evening.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo opted to take the long way home, making his way down toward Peach Plaza in hopes of avoiding anyone hanging out at the Round Table, which would likely be emptying for the night as its patrons went home. He had just crossed the plaza and passed through the gated entryway when he nearly bumped into Nora. Their gazes met, but Nora did not smile in greeting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You look like hell,” she commented.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That just scratches the surface of my day,” he muttered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nora frowned, her brows furrowed. “Is everything okay?” She hesitated. “I thought I saw Dr. Xu bring Sam to the clinic earlier. Looked like she had a nasty wound on her head. Is she okay? Didn’t run into more bandirats, did you?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Something like that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know you,” she said. “I know when something is wrong.” She hesitated. “Is it me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo met her gaze. His brows furrowed slightly. “Why would it be you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She pulled her gaze away. “You asked me why I came back,” she said. “The truth is, I didn’t plan to come back to Portia. I didn’t think I could. I thought it would be too hard… to see you… to see you and Kahli together. But… I don’t know. I just thought… a part of me thought… I wanted to be able to see you one more time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You shouldn’t have come back here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nora glanced at him, but his expression turned fierce. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know,” she said softly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t,” Arlo said, his voice hardening. “It’s dangerous here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nora blinked at him. “What are you saying?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Go home.” He turned his back on her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why did Kahli leave?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her voice caused him to hesitate, and he glanced over his shoulder at her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just tell me,” she said, her voice lowering. “Arlo… I need you to know… I’m in love with you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo stared at her. Silence fell between them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nora cleared her throat. “If I misinterpreted things,” she started, “just say the word and I’ll go. You’ll never see me again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You should go,” Arlo said simply.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nora stared at him a moment longer, desperately trying to decipher the meaning behind his words. But perhaps she was reading too much into it. He had chosen Kahli, afterall. Still, it didn’t explain the tension. It didn’t explain why she up and left so suddenly. Was there something she was missing?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo, however, was indifferent to her confession. In fact, he had hardly heard her, his mind still on Kahli. However, he could read the confusion on her face, but he opted to say nothing more. Tomorrow, Mayor Gale would address them all about their war against Duvos. And even with his warning, it was unlikely Nora would be able to leave. Once Mali’s men arrived, no one would enter Portia, and no one would leave Portia. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Still, it was probably for the best. If Nora did leave, her boat could be intercepted. She could have been caught in the crossfires. An innocent bystander. A casualty of war. And in the end, he cared for Nora just as he cared for anyone else in town. At one point, he had considered a relationship with her. But that was years ago. And even then, he knew he did not see her in such a way. But it didn’t make breaking her heart all over again any easier. But he couldn’t fret about any of that. She would move on. That was hardly a concern to him. With every passing second, Kahli was still missing. And all he could do was sit back and wait. He hoped to Light Mali would have some semblance of a plan when they got to Lucien.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Without another word, Arlo turned his back once more on Nora, leaving her alone in the darkness as he made his way toward home for the night.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The house felt cold and lifeless without his wife and son to occupy it. He didn’t bother to turn any of the lights on, making his way through the darkness with only the moonlight to spill through the windows and guide him up the stairs. He practically collapsed onto the bed as soon as he neared, still fully clothed. He had just enough energy to kick his boots off of his feet, and they dropped to the floor with a heavy thud. He pressed his face against the pillows, and he cried. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>*****</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He didn’t feel particularly well rested when he awoke. Though, it seemed as if he slept through the night. He didn’t remember being awake per se. It was as if his sleep were merely an unconsciousness, not deep or restful as sleep should have been. He had recalled small details of a nightmare or two through the night. Perhaps those were what had disturbed his sleep the most. But as the sunlight streamed across his face, the nightmares were nothing more than a memory quickly replaced by the ugly reality that settled in the pit of his stomach.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He blinked up at the ceiling. He had barely moved through the night, waking in almost the exact same position he fell asleep in. His body was stiff and sore, and he sat up slowly, wincing and taking a moment to stretch his limbs. He pulled the bandages away from his wrapped knuckles and inspected them, then wiggled his fingers. They were tender, but nothing had been broken. He sat on the edge of the bed and let out a heavy sigh, closing his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was still exhausted. He probably could have slept for weeks and it wouldn’t have made a difference. There was never a time in his life where he was as exhausted as he was now, and he started to wonder if he would feel this way forever.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Still, he pulled himself up off the bed, and without thinking much about it, he stripped out of his dirtied clothes and moved automatically to the shower. He mostly stood there under the cold water until he worked up the energy to step back out and dry off. He dressed, then moved downstairs. Just as it was the night before, the house was cold and empty, and he suddenly started to feel claustrophobic, as if the walls were closing in around him. His chest tightened and his stomach twisted sickeningly. He hurried outside, stepping into the warmth of the sunlight, and he paused on the deck to look around.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He hadn’t realized how late it was. He didn’t glance at a clock, but judging by the height of the sun in the sky, it was somewhere around noon. His grumbling stomach confirmed his suspicions and reminded him that it had been over twenty-four hours since he had eaten anything. He didn’t particularly want to go into town or be bothered by anyone, but he couldn’t ignore his duties as Civil Corps captain. And until Mayor Gale made the official announcement, he had to put on a show and try not to cause anyone to worry. It would only be a few days before Mali’s men arrived in Portia, and he, Sam, and Remington would leave for Lucien. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He shoved his hands in his pockets and trotted down the steps off the porch. He walked out toward the road and followed it into town. A crowd was gathered in the plaza, and Mayor Gale stood before them. People were murmuring to one another, reacting to something the mayor had just said to them, and Arlo could guess that he had told them about their war with Duvos. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mali’s men will be here by week’s end and Portia will be under strict surveillance. No one is permitted to leave or enter. That goes for ships in and out of the harbor as well.” They continued to mutter, but Gale spoke over them. “This is for the safety of everyone in the city,” he said. “We do not know if or when Duvos will strike, or if they will return to Portia. Mali’s men will ensure our safety here, but we must cooperate with them.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They’re looking for that All Source AI!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why did they take Kahli?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gale raised his hands in an attempt to quiet them, but they only started to shout in anger and fear.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s true that Duvos had an interest in All Source. Whether that remains a priority to them, I cannot be sure. What I do know is that we cannot allow Duvos to get their hands on it. For now, Wendy will remain here in Portia under twenty-four-seven watch. I suspect in time, Wendy will be moved to a more secure facility when it is safe to do so. As far as Kahli goes…” Gale hesitated. “It is true that she was kidnapped. It was recently discovered that Kahli’s father, Maurice, is a knight. Therefore, there is a possibility that Kahli possesses the same abilities as her father. We did not want word of this to reach Duvos, so we arranged to have her transported to Atara to be protected. However, it seems Duvos found out about her, and they were intercepted in the Eufala Desert. Witnesses confirmed that Everglade was among the Duvos soldiers. Mali is working with us, and we will do everything we can to get Kahli back safely.” He let out a sigh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Which brings me to my final topic of discussion,” he continued. “Due to the nature of the war with Duvos, the Alliance is looking for as many abled bodies as possible. This means that at the end of the week, our own Civil Corps, along with Django, will be on their way to Lucien to help in the war efforts.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>To his surprise, the crowd fell silent. They glanced uneasily at one another, then slowly, they turned to regard Arlo who stood behind them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re leaving?” Toby said, breaking the silence. His gaze moved between Arlo and Django. “You’re… going to fight in the war?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Django smiled down at the child. “Not to worry,” he said. “You’re looking at the best fighters in all the Free Cities.” He met Arlo’s gaze. “Right, Arlo?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But Toby frowned. He turned his gaze to Arlo, waiting for his answer, but Arlo said nothing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s our duty to protect Portia and all the cities in the Alliance,” Django continued. “And it’s not the first war I’ve fought in, you know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Toby turned back to Django. “How long will you be gone?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know,” Django admitted. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But you’ll come back after, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Django hesitated. “Well, we certainly plan to.” He smiled. “I suppose when we do, we’ll have lots of new stories for ya.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Toby nodded, but his brow creased deeply with concern for his friend and mentor. He turned his gaze to Jack but found no sign of hope in his friend’s expression. Jack knew better than anyone the outcome of war, as did all the adults in Portia. Tension settled in on the plaza as they continued to exchange uneasy glances with one another, the same thing on all of their minds. In a war with Duvos, the Free Cities were at a severe disadvantage. The future of their world was bleak. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter 11</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>“I knew she was full of shit, didn’t I tell ya?”</p><p>Sonia stood behind the bar, her hands on her hips. She turned her gaze from Emily, who was seated at the far end, to the three Civil Corps officers who had taken the seats on the other end. </p><p>“Family business to take care of.” Sonia scoffed. She pinched the bridge of the nose. “I can’t believe you lied to us. All of you!”</p><p>“What choice did we have?” Sam hissed. “Oh, hey, everyone. Guess what? We found out that Kahli could be in trouble because her father is a knight, so we’re gonna send her off to be protected, but don’t tell anyone, right? Oh, just kidding, Duvos found out, and now they’re gonna fuck us all up!”</p><p>“Sam,” Remington warned.</p><p>“And what if nothing happened?” Sonia pressed. “What if it all went off without a hitch? What then? Would Gale have continued to keep us in the dark?”</p><p>“There was never a plan to hide this,” Remington said. </p><p>“Look,” Arlo said frankly, disinterested in the conversation. He hadn’t come to talk. “I don’t even remember when I ate last. I just want something to eat.”</p><p>Sonia dropped her arms and let out a sigh. Her lips turned into a crooked frown. “Yeah, alright,” she said. “But what am I supposed to do when the cook leaves?”</p><p>At that moment, Ack poked his head out from inside the kitchen. He cleared his throat loudly, and Sonia turned to him with an apologetic smile.</p><p>“You know how Django is,” she said.</p><p>“I like to think we’ve established a fine partnership,” Ack said proudly.</p><p>Sonia pointed a finger at him, her expression turning serious. “But I’m not letting you change shit back there. I’ll never hear the end of it from Django if he comes back to his kitchen totally rearranged.”</p><p>Ack held up his hands defensively. “I shall not set a fork out of line,” he said sincerely. “The usual, Mr. Arlo?”</p><p>Arlo put his head in his hand. “I’ll eat Spacer if I have to,” he muttered. </p><p>Ack disappeared back into the kitchen and Sonia turned back to them. She shook her head in disbelief.</p><p>“I just can’t believe any of this is happening,” she said. “And here I was thinking you guys were going to get divorced.”</p><p>“I would have preferred that,” Emily said. She met Arlo’s angry gaze. “At least she would still be here and not some prisoner of war!” she exclaimed defensively. </p><p>“Why would you think they were getting divorced?” Sam asked.</p><p>“They were acting all weird,” Sonia said. “Tense.”</p><p>Emily nodded. “Well, we know why, now.” She paused to drink for a moment. “You know who else is acting weird? Nora.”</p><p>Arlo shifted uncomfortably.</p><p>“I thought so, too,” Sonia said. “She was all happy to be back and now suddenly I hardly see her around and she barely says boo.”</p><p>“I wonder why?” Emily mused. “It’s not like much has changed here.” She glanced toward Arlo and Sam. “You guys piss her off?”</p><p>“Does Nora even get pissed off?” Sam asked flatly.</p><p>“How long does it take to make a damn sandwich?” Arlo muttered.</p><p>“Rude,” Sonia said. “I know you’re life is kind of a tragic mess right now, but don’t take it out on Ack.”</p><p>Arlo stood abruptly. “Forget it,” he said between his teeth, and he left the restaurant without another word. The four that remained fell silent for a moment.</p><p>“This would be just the moment when Kahli chimes in with something awkward and inappropriate in her weird attempt to lighten the mood,” Sonia said with a sigh. </p><p>Emily hesitated. She glanced at Sam and Remington. “Arlo always has his shit together,” she said. “Is it that bad?”</p><p>“Well, being at war with Duvos isn’t good,” Sonia sneered.</p><p>Emily frowned. “I guess it just doesn’t seem real,” she said softly. “How safe can Portia be at this point?”</p><p>They were quiet for a moment, and that was answer enough.</p><p>“We’re going to do everything we can,” Sam said simply. </p><p>Ack came out of the kitchen briefly, peering around the corner. “I’m trying a new - oh. He’s gone.”</p><p>Remington stood. “Give me that,” he said shortly, and Ack handed him the plate. “Damn kid’s gotta eat,” he muttered under his breath, then promptly left the Round Table.</p><p>He found Arlo at home, leaning against the fence as he watched Star and Spacer graze. He shoved the plate with the sandwich into his chest.</p><p>“Pull yourself together and eat something. You won’t find Kahli if you don’t get your head in the game.”</p><p>Arlo glanced at him, hesitant, but took the sandwich from him. He took a half-hearted bite, his gaze back on the horses. </p><p>“If you can’t handle -”</p><p>“I can handle this,” Arlo sneered at him.</p><p>Remington frowned. “No one expects you to keep it all together,” he said. “But I do expect you to know when to step back.”</p><p>“Are you here to lecture me about shit I already know?”</p><p>“I’m reminding you that you’re not alone,” Remington said fiercely. “You can lean on us when you need to. That’s what we’re here for.”</p><p>Arlo stared down at the ground. “I’m terrified,” he said softly. </p><p>“I’d be worried if you weren’t,” Remington said. “With so much on the line, it’s impossible not to be. Only a fool wouldn’t feel fear in a time like this. But as someone who’s seen some things in his time, I will say this: it’s how you choose to use that fear that can determine the outcome of any situation. Whether you push forward and fight, or run and hide.” He glanced at Arlo. “Sometimes the answer isn’t always what you think. Sometimes it’s knowing when to step back.”</p><p>“I’m not stepping back,” Arlo said. “Not until this is over.”</p><p>Remington let his hand rest on Arlo’s shoulder for a moment, then turned and left him alone. In three short days, they would be on a plane headed to Lucien. After that, their futures were unclear. For all he knew, Duvos could be there waiting to attack, and the war would end as quickly as it started. But there was one thing Remington was certain of; how they played the hand they were dealt would forever change the world as they knew it. </p><p> </p><p>*****</p><p> </p><p>The remaining three days in Portia felt like a blur to Arlo. His body seemed to move automatically, bringing him through each painfully slow day. The people in Portia talked quietly amongst themselves, their eyes always on the Civil Corps officers when one of them passed. War weighed heavily on all their minds. Very few of them could even remember a time when the military of the Free Cities had all been called together. It seemed surreal to think that Duvos could strike at any moment, and that Portia would soon be without a Civil Corps to defend them.</p><p>That wasn’t to say they were without defense. Mali’s men had already begun to filter into the city, taking up their posts and patrolling the streets. Their presence in the city, however, was cold. They hardly spoke a word, and the citizens of Portia stood and watched from afar. Mali’s men were equipped with weapons most had never seen before, and they could only speculate the kind of weaponry that Duvos possessed. In a world so insistent on keeping deadly technology at bay, it seemed they were in the same position that started the Age of Darkness all those years ago. History was repeating itself, right in front of their eyes.</p><p>But there was nothing Arlo could do to ease their worries and fears. There was nothing anyone could do. All they could do was sit and wait and pray that the war would not reach their doorstep, and that everyone would return home… alive. </p><p>It was early in the morning when the plane arrived to take them to Lucien, and most of the town was still sleeping. The three Corps officers preferred it that way, anyway, leaving quietly and quickly. There was no sense dragging out the inevitable. And in truth, they were each anxious to get to Lucien. They didn’t know what would wait for them there, but it was one step closer to find Kahli, and that was all they wanted to do. </p><p>Remington had flown only a few times in his life, and Arlo even less, but Sam and Django had never been on a plane at all. Django remained calm and collected, but Sam dug her nails dug into Arlo’s thigh, clutching onto him and Remington on either side of her as the plane sped across the grass and lifted up into the sky.</p><p>“For fuck’s sake,” Remington muttered, wincing as Sam clutched tighter. Still, he took his hand in hers in an attempt to ease her fears, and maybe save his leg from being ripped to shreds by her claws. </p><p>As the plane leveled off to its cruising altitude, Sam’s grip loosened, and after her shaking slowed slightly, she dared to glance out the window. Her curiosity piqued, she leaned over Arlo, ignoring his sigh of annoyance, and she peered down onto the landscape below, watching as they flew over the islands that dotted the coast of Portia, then out over the sea.</p><p>“This… is… so cool!”</p><p>The plane dropped down suddenly, and Sam yelped and resumed clutching the legs beside her.</p><p>“Just a bit of turbulence,” the pilot said into his headset.</p><p>“What’s that?” Sam shouted over the engine. “Are we gonna die? This is it, isn’t it? I don’t even get to go in the glory of war. Taken down by this fucking piece of machinery! It’s always the damn machines!”</p><p>“Calm down,” Remington said to her as calmly as he could, though the hint of annoyance still came through in his voice. “It’s completely normal.”</p><p>“Says you!”</p><p>“Does it look like we’re falling?”</p><p>Sam hesitated and dared another glance to the window, confirming that they were, in fact, still flying steadily in the air.</p><p>“No,” she said slowly.</p><p>“I’ve flown in a lot worse than this,” the pilot said conversationally. He glanced over his shoulder back at them and grinned. “Flown in war zones being shot at. After you’ve experienced that, a little turbulence is a walk in the park!”</p><p>Sam’s face whitened. “War zones?” She swallowed. </p><p>The pilot turned to look back out the windshield. “Not to worry,” he said. “The skies have been quiet for now. Besides, what’s a little fighting between nations for the Civil Corps, hm?”</p><p>“Portia hasn’t exactly seen much strife,” Remington said.</p><p>The pilot’s eyes widened and his grin returned. “Ah. Noobies,” he said. “Well, then, let me be the first to officially welcome you to the fight.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Chapter 12</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>To Sam’s relief - and the relief of Arlo and Remington with only a few bruises on their legs - the plane landed safely and without further drama in Lucien. To say they were far from home was an understatement. While Portia was a simple town, Lucien was far more advanced. Buildings towered over them, stretching toward the sky. The streets were busy with people as they went about their day. They walked along sidewalks and darted across streets between vehicles stopped at intersections. Though Arlo, Remington, and Django had been to Lucien a few times, it was all brand new to Sam, and she felt as if she were in a different world completely. She looked up and around them as they walked across the runway where the plane had landed, nearly bumping into the man that approached them if Remington had not pulled at her wrist, bringing her back to reality.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You must be the Portian Civil Corps,” the man said, regarding each of them with a nod. “I trust your trip went smoothly?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sam scoffed and rolled her eyes, but made no other response. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The man eyed her for a moment before speaking again. “Edmond.” He stretched out a hand to Arlo and they shook. “You must be the captain of this Corps, I presume.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why must he be?” Sam sneered at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edmond met her gaze and a smile pulled at his lips. “Because Remi and I go way back,” he said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And I can’t be a captain?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, you don’t much look like a tall red headed man, so no.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sam folded her arms over her chest. “Touche.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edmond turned to Remington briefly and nodded to him. “It’s been a long time. I thought for sure you preferred the quiet country life that Portia offered.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I do,” Remington said with a heavy sigh. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edmond smiled, then turned away from them, gesturing for them to follow him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mali asked me to meet you here when your plane arrived,” he said. “She’s a bit tied up at the moment, but she will greet you once she gets a chance. She’s been anxiously awaiting your arrival. There is a lot to be discussed, and I’ve been asked to debrief you right away.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What for?” Sam asked, her gaze narrowing on him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“For an official report of what happened in Portia,” Edmond explained. “And we’ve got some news to share with you as well.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“About Kahli?” Sam asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But Edmond did not answer her. “Most of the other Corps have already arrived,” he continued. “You’ll all be equipped appropriately.” He glanced over his shoulders at them. “I trust you’ve all shot a gun before?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo glanced hesitantly at Remington and Django.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edmond noticed their hesitance, but he continued on unfazed. “No matter,” he said. “You’ll be trained as necessary.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do we know what we’re up against, exactly?” Arlo asked carefully.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Captain</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” he started, emphasizing the word. “I trust you’re aware of the Duvos situation. You know their technology far exceeds our own. They have no shortage of military grade weapons and various AIs.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“AIs?” Remington echoed. “All the remaining AIs are out of control.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Most, yes,” Edmond said with a nod. “But that hasn’t stopped them from finding ways to take them back and create more for their own use.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, we are fucked,” Sam muttered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nonsense,” Edmond said cheerily. “I know you’re in your own little world over there in Portia, but I can assure you we are well prepared for whatever Duvos throws at us, as you will see soon enough.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At this point, they had left the airport and passed through tall gates lined with barbed wire. Several armed soldiers stood guard at the entrance, allowing them entry as Edmond spoke to them, flashing a badge in their direction. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is the heart of our military headquarters,” Edmond explained as they navigated through. Most of the buildings here were only a few stories tall and note as close together as the buildings in the city. Armed soldiers milled about, some in groups, some alone. They chatted and laughed and moved on with their day, paying no mind to Edmond or the small group of four behind him. After a short walk, Edmond turned into one of the buildings and strode confidently across an open lobby, their footsteps echoing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Across the room, he waved his badge in front of a scanner. A light turned green and the door slid open, granting them access. They continued to follow Edmond down the hall until he stopped at another door at the end. He scanned his badge once more, and the door slid open to reveal a larger, dimly lit room. The room was occupied by one other person; a man dressed simply in jeans and a t-shirt. A simple gun was holstered on his hip, and he smiled at them as they entered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edmond nodded to the man, then gestured to the three officers behind him. “Blake,” he said. “This is Arlo, Sam, Remington, and Django. They’re from Portia.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The Portian Civil Corps,” Blake said, impressed. “You’ve made quite a name for yourself already.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sam crossed her arms. “Yeah? What have you heard?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, something about you guys taking on some pirates and a rogue knight. Pretty impressive that you were able to stand up to him. That kind of skill should land you in the Flying Pigs.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Our talent is severely underappreciated,” Sam said. “How did you hear about that, anyway?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Things get around,” he said. “Plus, I’ve got a friend in Portia.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is it Mei?” Sam asked dryly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He blushed. “Yeah. How’d you know?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She may have told us she had some spy friend.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He frowned. “She blew my cover?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not at all,” Sam said. “But she gave us some valuable information, thanks to you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Anything to help save the world, hm?” He grinned, then hesitated. “Hey. Uh. Do you know if she’s seeing anyone?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There it is,” Arlo muttered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sam laughed. “She takes her job pretty seriously,” she said. “But, I bet you could get a date out of her in exchange for some secrets.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He blushed and rubbed at the back of his head. “Heh. I knew she was just using me for my connections.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Blake.” Mali entered, then, her expression stern. “You’re back.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blake saluted her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I suppose your timing couldn’t be better,” she said. She glanced at Arlo and nodded in greeting, then turned back to Blake. “Report.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’ve confirmed our source’s report; Everglade was spotted in Duvos,” he said. “We planted a tracker on her vehicle and traced it to the Peripheries. She’s been back and forth quite a bit and spends a significant amount of time there. The coordinates.” He handed Mali a piece of paper. “We suspect she’s been using the area as some kind of base. My men have reported sightings of the rogue knight there, too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mali’s mouth opened to speak, but Edmond spoke first, his voice loud and powerful, cutting her off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, Lieutenant. Dismissed.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blake glanced at Mali, but otherwise did not hesitate. He saluted them once more, then hurried out of the room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edmond regarded Mali, but this time, it was Mali that spoke first, her gaze fierce. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, Edmond,” she said between clenched teeth. “Please let me know when the others have arrived.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edmond let his gaze linger on hers for a moment, then left the room, leaving the five of them alone. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright, I’ll say it,” Sam started. “I hate that guy already.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s his deal, anyway?” Django asked carefully.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mali let out a soft sigh. “I’m glad you made it safely,” she said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mali,” Arlo started, his voice harsh. “You found Everglade?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now don’t go running out that door,” Mali hissed. She hesitated. “There’s a lot you need to know. And we can’t talk here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sam’s gaze narrowed on her. “Why not?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Things are complicated,” Mali said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Between you and dreamy Edmond?” Sam scoffed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Watch it,” Mali warned her. “Don’t fuck with him, do you understand?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are we walking into?” Remington asked. “Things seem tense.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tense is an understatement,” Mali muttered. “I said there’s a lot you need to know. But I must tread carefully. Even in our own ranks, there are some… disagreements on how the situation is being handled.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This sounds exactly like a military that has their shit together,” Arlo sneered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Look,” Mali started. “I’ll be as honest with you as I can. But that all comes later. Right now, I have something important to attend to. I just wanted to make sure I got you away from Edmond while I had the chance.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why?” Arlo asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mali sighed heavily and pinched the bridge of her nose. “Later!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But before any of them could argue further, they could hear shouting from the other side of the door. The distinct thudding sound of something hitting the wall hard could be heard, almost immediately followed by another. After a moment more, the door opened, and a dark figure stood in the doorway, illuminated slightly by the light in the hall behind him. Two soldiers could be seen in the hall just getting to their feet, their hands instinctively on the weapons on their hips, but they made no other move to attack. The figure stepped into the room, and as their eyes adjusted to the change in light, the man’s features began to take shape. Dark eyebrows were knit together fiercely, practically covering his eyes, and a thick beard covered his face. He regarded the group of them for a moment until his gaze landed on the other knight in the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Django,” Maurice hissed. “Where is my daughter?”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Chapter 13</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Django,” Maurice hissed. “Where is my daughter?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maurice thrust his palm out, but Django moved quickly to stop his attack. In one swift swing, his fist made contact with Maurice’s open palm, and an electric pulse shot through him and into Maurice, causing him to stumble backwards.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This only made him angrier, however, and he lunged at Django, swinging his fist toward him. Django dodged his attack, swinging his leg low and tripping Maurice. He moved quickly, pushing Maurice against the wall, his arm across his neck.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>By now, the two soldiers from the hall had hurried in, their weapons drawn, but Mali held a hand out to them. Their gazes moved from Mali to the two knights, then slowly, they holstered their weapons.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Get a hold of yourself,” Django hissed. “You’ve gotten clumsy, but I know what you’re capable of. You will kill all of us.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maurice’s shoulders heaved, but he did not move. His breathing slowed, and Django released his hold on Maurice, stepping back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mali turned to the two soldiers, her gaze fierce. “Out,” she snapped, and they obeyed wordlessly, closing the door behind them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You,” Maurice hissed. “You promised -” His voice cracked slightly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There was nothing any of us could have done,” Django snapped. “Perhaps you should rethink your own choices before being so quick to put this blame on us.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maurice’s shoulders dropped slightly and he pulled his gaze away. “I did everything I could to protect her,” he said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did it ever occur to you to be honest with her?” Django said. “She could have defended herself easily if she knew. If you trained her -”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I did not want her to be a part of this life,” Maurice snapped. “Don’t you dare judge my decisions. You’re not a father; you would not understand.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Django sighed heavily. “Perhaps you’re right,” he said. “What’s done is done. All that matters is that we get her back.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maurice,” Mali started, stepping forward. “You cannot -” But she stopped when Maurice turned his furious gaze to her. She hesitated before continuing. “They could be trying to lure you to them,” she said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then they will have me,” Maurice said through his teeth. “And I will be the last thing they ever see.” Maurice looked over the Civil Corps one last time, offering no greeting, then promptly left the room, the door slamming behind him. As his footsteps echoed down the hall, his voice could be heard snarling at the two soldiers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Touch me and die.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mali’s lips pressed together, hesitant. She turned and met Arlo’s gaze.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, we got in contact with Maurice,” she said, and she offered him an apologetic smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No shit,” Django muttered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mali sighed. “I know you all have a lot of questions. I promise to answer them when I can. For now, Edmond will debrief you. Tell him everything you know. Anything you think will help with the situation against Duvos. When you’re done, he’ll fit you all with bulletproof vests and weapons. Do what you’d like, but do not leave the base. I will find you as soon as I can. I’ll tell you everything I know.” Without a word in parting, she turned and left them alone in the dimly lit room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Silence fell around them for a moment, then Sam muttered, “What the fuck have we gotten ourselves into?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you think she’s hiding?” Remington wondered out loud.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo turned to Django. His forehead creased deeply. “What’s Maurice’s beef with you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Django glanced at Arlo, hesitant. “I was in contact with Maurice before Kahli came to Portia,” he said. “I suggested that she would be safe here. I promised him I would keep an eye on her.” He shook his head. “No one could have guessed this would have happened.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sure he doesn’t really blame you,” Remington said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Sam added. “And without you, that knight would have kicked all our asses, anyway.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The door opened once more and Edmond stepped into the room. There was a small smile on his face, but his eyes did not turn upwards. They were unsettlingly cold as he regarded them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shall we?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>*****</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>One by one, they followed Edmond into the debriefing room. It didn’t take more than an hour to debrief all of them, and most, if not all, of their stories were exactly the same. They each recounted Everglade’s arrival to Portia and how they worked with her to find All Source. They explained how they encountered the rogue knight, then chased both the rogue knight and Everglade. They told Edmond that Everglade had escaped, but the rogue knight had gotten to All Source, using the AI against the city. Their stories concluded with Django interfering, battling against the rogue knight until he, too, made his escape. Edmond listened closely, taking notes as they spoke, asking a few questions as they came to mind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When the debriefing was complete, they followed Edmond through the building and into another room where they were appropriately fitted and equipped. The vests were snug, and they felt slightly encumbered compared to how they were used to. But most of all, the vests made the situation feel much more real and bleak. They were strapped with holsters, each carrying two guns with them, but neither of them felt safe or protected. They felt deadly. Dangerous. The opposite of everything they had known back in Portia. These were the weapons that had caused a disturbance in the world. And like Duvos, Lucien worked tirelessly to restore them and continue their production in preparation for their peace treaty to be broken. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was ironic. It was wrong. But it was the truth of the world. A truth they could not keep hiding from, no matter how hard they tried. Portia had been blissfully ignorant of it all; of the reality of the world they lived in. They - Duvos, mainly - had learned nothing from their past, from the Age of Darkness. No one necessarily blamed Lucien for taking up arms; it was the only thing they could do if they wanted a fighting chance against the nation with the strongest military. It was why the Alliance was formed in the first place; to try to bring continued peace and prevent history from repeating itself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But as long as Duvos remained, it seemed that would never be possible.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The four of them stood outside. It was late in the afternoon; the setting sun peeked between tall buildings, casting the city in a warm, golden glow. The weight of their vests and weapons felt heavier than they actually were, and they shifted uncomfortably on their feet as they looked around them. Other soldiers and military personnel still milled about, most at ease. Cheery, even, despite the fact that Duvos loomed so closely to them. They were accustomed to this lifestyle. They did not feel the heavy burden of the weapons they carried.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There they are! My favorite branch of the Civil Corps.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They turned to the sound of Blake’s voice as he approached them, a wide grin on his face. But when he met their sullen gazes, he frowned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s the matter? Mali wasn’t too hard on ya, was she? She can be pretty blunt, but she means well. Just wants what’s best for everyone, yanno?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re awfully chipper for a spy,” Sam commented.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blake laughed. “What? A guy can’t be in a good mood around here?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sam shrugged. “You just don’t strike me like the type.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wouldn’t that make me the perfect guy for the job?” He winked at her, and Sam blushed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wh-whatever, man!” Her arms folded over her chest and she looked away from him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was just gonna head into the city and get a bite to eat,” Blake said, thrusting a thumb over his shoulder. “You guys hungry?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I could eat,” Remington said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll have to catch up with you later,” Django said, turning to Arlo. He offered him a smile. “I’ve got some business to tend to.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Knight business?” Sam inquired.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Django grinned at her, then turned away from them with a wave over his shoulder and headed down the street.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright,” Blake said. “Lucien’s great. Lots of nightlife. You’ll love it. C’mon, beer’s on me!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The three Civil Corps officers followed Blake across the military base, out the guarded main entrance and across the street. They walked along the sidewalk as they followed the road into the heart of the city. Under the cover of the tall buildings, the sun was just a fading glow, but street lights lit up the darkening roads. Vehicles moved through intersections, their horns beeping at one another. Shops and restaurants and clubs lined the streets, various signs lit up and blinking to catch the attention of passerbyers. When doors opened and patrons milled in and out, loud music spilled out into the street before being muffled again as the doors closed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We are definitely not in Portia anymore,” Sam muttered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They continued to follow Blake until he finally stopped in front of the door of a bar. The sign above it read The Crispy Pancake.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sam grinned and nudged Arlo in the ribs with her elbow. “I see Mason’s future and he’s a fat chef.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo frowned. “Why does he gotta be fat?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because of all the pancakes you feed him,” Remington said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blake regarded them curiously. “Mason?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My son,” Arlo said simply.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blake’s smile wavered for a moment. “Ah, well,” he started, shifting uncomfortably. “Contrary to what the sign says, there are no pancakes here. Strictly booze and bar food. Some nice, greasy wings, loaded potato wedges, you name it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sounds healthy,” Sam said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“All I heard was beer,” Arlo said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blake pointed two finger guns at them. “Aye. Drink as much as you want!” He hesitated. “Well, maybe not, but hey, I’m not your boss, so don’t let me tell you how to live your life.” He turned and pushed the door open, and they stepped inside the dimly lit room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The bar already hosted a variety of people. Some stood together in twos and threes spread out across the room with drinks in here, while larger groups sat at tables laughing loudly and clinking glasses together. Smaller groups stood at the bar height tables in more intimate conversations, and a few individual patrons sat along the bar at the far corner of the room. It stretched along in an L shape, and the four of them took the open seats on the corner, two on each side with Remington and Blake at the ends. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The bartender approached wordlessly when they sat, and Blake leaned across the bar, pointing to the three of them individually. “Beer? Beer? Beer?” Without waiting for a response, he turned to the bartender and held up four fingers. “Keep ‘em coming!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The bartender turned away from them, making no response that he had heard the order, but he sent to work regardless, taking up four clean glasses and moving to the tap. He talked to the patrons on the other end of the bar as he filled them, then distributed the glasses before turning away again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Charming,” Sam muttered. She looked into her glass, eyebrow cocked, then with a shrug, she drank. She whipped her arm across her face when she finished, then turned to Blake. “So, what’s the deal with that Edmond guy? Do we all hate him?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blake nearly choked on his beer. When he regained himself, he put his glass down calmly, then turned to her with a vacant expression. “Never say his name,” he said in a monotone voice. “Edmond is the enemy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo then proceeded to choke on his drink, and Remington laughed. Sam looked between the three men in confusion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nah, I’m just fuckin’ with ya,” Blake said. He shrugged. “Yeah, he’s kind of a douche. But you know how those military guys are.” He grinned at Arlo. “Right, Captain?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo blinked at him, then turned to Sam. “Am I a douche?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sam grinned. “Arlo, my man, the douchiest.” She paused to drink. “Remember all those laps you made me run after the whole fiasco with Kahli in those sewers?” She leaned over Arlo to regard Blake. “And with a sprained ankle!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo’s forehead creased angrily. “Did not!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blake grinned. “Who’s Kahli? Another cute Civil Corps officer? Why isn’t she here?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Sam said slowly. “My bad.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blake regarded Arlo in confusion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’s my wife,” Arlo said simply.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah.” Blake smiled. “You didn’t seem like the family man type.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo glanced at him. “I guess things aren’t always as it seems, hm?”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Chapter 14</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Sh. Sh. Sh. Listen.” Sam stared into Arlo’s eyes. “Um nat drunk.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The night air was brisk, and they stood outside of the bar, which had just begun to fill with people in the later hours. The four of them made their way down the street, through the city and back towards base. Sam had a spring in her step, feeling the effects of the two drinks she had consumed, and from time to time, she got too excited when she spoke and stumbled, grabbing on to Remington for support as she giggled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo’s gaze turned, unamused. “You’re not?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sam waved him off. “Nah,” she said. “‘S’just… a couple. I gat this.” She thrust a thumb into her chest. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Couldda had me fooled,” Blake said with a smirk.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sam turned and pointed a finger at Blake. “You.” She hiccuped. “I like you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blake blushed. “Oh, uh. Thanks, I think. I like you guys.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sam smiled and nodded. “So, wa’s ya story?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My story?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yanno. Where did ya come from? Where did ya go? Who is Blake?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah.” Blake paused in thought for a moment. “Well, I’m from Tallsky. Grew up there most of my childhood. My grandfather was in the military and I always looked up to him, so I came to Lucien as soon as I turned eighteen. I trained day and night, working my way up the ranks and into the Civil Corps, then joined the Flying Pigs. I worked with Mali a lot until I was transferred into another division. You know, for espionage and that sorta thing.” He winked at Sam. “And, well, the rest is history, I suppose. Mali and I work pretty closely these days.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, close, huh?” Sam winked at him, and Blake blushed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” he stuttered quickly. “She’s my superior.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, right. You're into Mei.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blake’s cheeks reddened further and he cleared his throat. “Anyway,” he started. “What about you guys?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sam turned and stepped in front of him, leaning closer to him. “What ‘bout us, huh?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blake grinned. “Your story,” he said. “I told you mine. Isn’t that how this works?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sam smiled. “Oh! Yeah! Except we’re not so interesting.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I find that extremely hard to believe,” Blake said with a smirk. “What about that business with that rogue knight? How the hell did you get involved with that, anyway?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, right!” Sam exclaimed. “Oh, man, what a story that one is! It all started when Mali came looking for the All Source AI.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blake nodded. “Yeah, I remember something about that. She found one, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, kinda. You know, after the rogue knight and Everglade found it first.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How did that happen?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Everglade intercepted Mali’s messages, so they posed as Alliance officers and acted like Mali sent them over to find All Source.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blake’s brows furrowed. “But wasn’t Mali with you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sam shook her head. “No, this was after Mali went back to Atara.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, sure.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Anyway,” Sam continued. “We had no idea who Everglade was. Except we knew she was a huge bitch. Because she was. A bitch. But we did everything she asked because what else were we supposed to do?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure, you had no clue.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sam narrowed her eyes at Arlo. “Well, some of us were suspicious. But, who were we to stand up to her?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But you did, didn’t you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sam shrugged. “Didn’t have much of a choice when she attacked us.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She took off like a bitch,” Sam said. “But that rogue knight already had All Source and turned her against us. Attacked the city. If it weren’t for Django, he probably would have destroyed all of Portia and taken Wendy with him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No shit,” Blake said. “But Wendy is still in Portia?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yup,” Sam said with a nod. “He ran off like a bitch, too, once he lost control of Wendy. And without the chip in her leg, she can’t be controlled anymore. So, there’s really no need to worry about Duvos being able to control her or use her against us or anything.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blake nodded. “Yeah, Mali mentioned something about that. That’s pretty crazy, though. It’s a good thing you had Django there. Knights are pretty hard to come by these days.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We didn’t even know he was a knight,” Sam said. “Or Kahli, for that matter.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blake glanced at her. “Kahli?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Remington cleared his throat loudly and Arlo visibly paled. Blake glanced quickly in their direction, his brows furrowed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kahli’s a knight?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sam hesitated, her mouth open slightly, and she glanced between Arlo and Blake. “No,” she said quickly. “I mean. No. Technically. No.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Technically?” Blake asked, his face turning more serious than they had seen it since they arrived. “What’s technically?” There was a slight snap in his voice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s classified information,” Remington said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blake glanced in his direction. “I know all classified -”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If you don’t know then you don’t know,” Remington said firmly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They had stopped walking and stood just outside of the main gates to the base. Silence fell over them. The three Portian Civil Corps officers held their gazes on Blake. After a moment, Blake smiled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, who am I to question what information Mali gives me, hm?” He met Arlo’s gaze. “You sure are an interesting lot, anyway. But hey, thanks for drinking with me tonight. I won’t keep you up much later. I’m sure you’ll all have a busy day tomorrow. We’ll do this again, yeah?” Blake saluted them cheerfully. “Goodnight.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They watched as he turned away from them and headed through the gates. When he was out of sight, Arlo turned and sneered at Sam.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What the hell?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sam’s shoulders slumped slightly. “I’m sorry,” she muttered. “I just… I figured people knew! I didn’t think it was some big secret.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe, maybe not,” Remington said. “But we shouldn’t be going around offering this information to anyone.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo turned and headed through the gates and Sam and Remington followed quickly behind him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re not exactly in the loop with everything going on, either,” Remington added. “Mali has yet to fill us in on anything concrete.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Speak of the devil,” Sam said. They looked up to see Mali approaching them, a stern expression on her face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Perfect timing,” she said. “I was hoping to catch you before you all turned in for the night. Got a moment to talk?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blake watched as the four of them disappeared around the corner. He shoved his hands in his pockets, then turned in the opposite direction and moved down the street. After a moment, a tall figure stepped out of a shadowed alleyway and fell into step behind him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well?” Edmond said, his voice gruff. “What did you find out?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>*****</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mali stood before the three Portian Corps officers. Arlo had his arms crossed, waiting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know it’s been a long day,” Mali started. “I appreciate your patience. As I’m sure you can imagine, I’m keeping pretty busy these days.” She hesitated. “And I’m careful with who I’m around when I speak.” She let out a breath. “I want to be forthcoming with you all, so I will explain everything I can and answer any questions you may have. Let me start by telling you what I can.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maurice and I worked together some years ago, in my early days here in Lucien. All I knew about him was that he was a knight and he had been hunting this rogue knight for several years. I knew nothing more about the rogue knight until we encountered him in Portia. As far as I know, and from what Maurice has told me, no one knows of his true identity. Naturally, that’s high on our priorities, along with finding any other knights we can to aid us in our war against Duvos.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I hardly saw much of Maurice through the years, nor did I know much about his work. I only recently found out that he had been working closely with the alliance to hunt the rogue knight.” She shook her head. “It’s amazing to think he’s been doing this for years without much luck. As you heard from Blake earlier, we were finally able to get a location on Everglade, and we suspect the rogue knight may be hanging around with her. I stepped up the search for the rogue knight after the attack on Portia, and with that, I’ve had men searching for Everglade, too. Over the last couple years, Duvos had been quiet. We suspected after the encounter with All Source in Portia, Duvos may have been refocusing their efforts, though they never actually made any visible attempts to move into Portia. In fact, they hadn’t moved much at all, which is why I came back to Portia. It was only a matter of time before they made their move, and I knew Portia would need to be defended.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But, naturally, I found out about Kahli and Maurice. I took action to have Kahli moved and protected immediately. Just as we’re searching for the knights, so is Duvos.” She sighed. “I can’t imagine any of the knights would join forces with Duvos, but in this world, we can’t be too sure of anything. We don’t know what Duvos will tempt them with. But obviously, our plan was intercepted.” She shook her head. “I can’t be sure if it’s a mole among our military or…” She hesitated and met Arlo’s gaze. “Or in Portia. Someone somewhere found out about Kahli and Everglade took action.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And what exactly do you intend to do about all this?” Sam asked, narrowing her gaze on Mali.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m doing everything in my power to get Kahli back,” Mali said strongly. “I suspect Kahli will be in Everglade’s custody. If we find Everglade, we’ll likely find Kahli. I have made Blake and his team aware that we are looking for captives, but I have not specified as to who they are or their importance to everything.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why not?” Remington asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because of the potential mole,” Mali said simply. “They’ve been told that if they come across survivors, they are to bring them back alive.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What about Edmond?” Arlo asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mali hesitated. “Edmond does not know about Kahli,” she said. “I had to fight him just to get increased patrols on the area where Everglade had been spotted in order to pinpoint an exact location.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why?” Arlo pressed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, he just doesn’t like me much, if we’re being honest.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think there’s more to it than that,” Remington said, his gaze narrowing on her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Look. I can’t say much more than that right now. And most of my… issues… towards him are… Well, I’m not exactly in a position to be jumping to any conclusions without solid evidence.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t trust him,” Sam said simply.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You do what Edmond says when he says it,” Mali said. “But between us, keep any information about Kahli away from him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Remington shot a glance toward Sam, and Sam’s shoulders slumped sheepishly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Anyway,” Sam started. “How did you track down Maurice?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s not so hard to find when you’ve worked with him before,” Mali said. “Very few know of him or his missions, but I was able to get a message personally delivered to him as soon as I found out about Kahli. In fact, I was still waiting on his arrival when he burst through that door earlier. I wasn’t expecting him for another day. He got here quicker than I thought.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“His daughter is a POW,” Remington said. “Did you really expect anything less?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mali sighed. “I’ll be moving forward in our plan to infiltrate Everglade’s base,” she said. “I was hoping to move out before the end of the next week. We’ll talk more then. For now, you should all get some rest.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It felt like they had been in Lucien for a week already, running around non-stop without a wink of sleep. As Mali left them alone, exhaustion washed over them suddenly. And though they eventually made their way solemnly to their own bunks, Arlo felt far too antsy to get any sleep. It was late, nearing midnight, now, and he stepped outside. The cool, night air sharpened his senses as he was brought out of his anxious and exhausted fog, and he moved aimlessly down the street as his mind wandered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The streets inside the base were much quieter, now. Soldiers had returned to their own bunks for the night, but the city just outside their walls was still lively. He could hear the wails of sirens, the laughter of the smokers, the muffled music of the late night clubs. There seemed to be an entire world just outside of his own, tucked away in the base, but he paid them no mind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His attention was caught, however, by a figure. He had reached the southern edges of the base, just near the airport where they had landed that same morning. The gates of the base wrapped around the airport and rolled away in all directions into the neighboring city-states. But at the southernmost tip of the base was a small hill. In the moonlight, Arlo could make out the shadowed figure that stood atop it, and he approached.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maurice glanced at Arlo, his forehead creased, but he offered him a small smile in greeting. His eyes were sunken from exhaustion and grief, and he turned away from Arlo to look back out over the horizon.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Arlo,” he said. “It’s been some time, now, hasn’t it?” He frowned. “Mason was just a baby when I came by. He must be, what, four, now?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo offered no response to his father-in-law.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry,” Maurice said softly. “I know how difficult it is to leave a child behind. It is not a decision I made lightly, as I know you did not.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t compare yourself to me,” Arlo hissed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you really blame me for what I did? For keeping all of this from her? I did not want her burdened by these truths. I tried to protect her!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She could have protected herself,” Arlo said. “If she knew… if she was trained… none of this would have happened.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maurice glanced at him. “You’re a fool, Arlo.” His voice was steady. “She would have been in far greater danger if she knew the truth. The only reason she was able to get by undetected all these years is because I kept this secret from her. From everyone.” He turned away from him. “Will you tell Mason?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo’s brows furrowed. He hadn’t really considered this. Of everything that had happened, that small detail had escaped him. But he was reminded of it, now; that his son would likely possess the same abilities Kahli and Maurice did. And what of his future? How long would this war last? Would they win? Would Duvos remain a threat? Would he be dragged into a life of training and fighting and protecting?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was in his nature to want to protect his son from that life, just as he wanted to protect Kahli, and all the people of Portia. Just as it was in his nature to be a part of the Civil Corps. The father in him wanted to protect his son even more fiercely. He didn’t exactly blame Maurice. He was right; he probably would have done the same thing. Still, she could have protected herself. If she had known, if she had been trained, she could have had a fighting chance. She could have survived…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He hadn’t once doubted that she was alive until that moment, but the reality of it all hit him like a ton of bricks, and his heart sank, breaking and tearing at his insides. What if she wasn’t alive?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’s out there, somewhere,” Maurice said softly, seemingly reading his thoughts, or perhaps the grief stricken expression on Arlo’s face. But he did not regard Arlo when he spoke. “Tell me; did she take the sword with her?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo hesitated. “Yes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maurice nodded. “Then she’s alive,” he said firmly. “I may not be sure of much, but I’m certain of that much. As long as she has that sword with her, she will survive this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arlo’s brows furrowed. “How can you be so sure?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maurice met Arlo’s gaze and a small smile pulled at his lips. “It’s just the way of the knights. You’ll see soon enough.”</span>
</p>
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<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Author Update</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hey everyone! I kind of have a big announcement to share with y'all, but it's a little <strong>bittersweet</strong>.</p><p>I have been presented with a really cool opportunity that <em>maybe might just be kinda big for me</em> (fingers crossed!!) I can't say anything officially <em>yet</em>, but I've been slowly starting work on this project and it's already been taking up a lot of my time. Trying to work on that and the too many fanfics I've got going on is leaving me feeling way burnt out. Unfortunately, I just don't think I will have the time to continue to work on both, so it is with a heavy heart that I <span class="u"><strong>officially announce that I will be taking a break from fanfics and AO3. </strong></span></p><p>That being said, I have been on AO3 for a long time and I have <strong>every intent</strong> on returning and finishing up my current WIPs, including <em><strong>Metanoia, The Lost Hero, and my Shadows of Hyrule Series</strong> </em>(which has a few more books in progress!) As of right now, however, I just don't know when I will be able to get to them. I was hoping to get them finished up before really diving into this new project, but it's just not looking like that will be possible for me right now. There may be a time where I'm able to get a chapter posted, but if any updates do come, they will be very sporadic. I deeply apologize for this - it was not easy for me to come to this decision as I am very invested in these fics. But I am also very excited for where this new project may lead for me! And I need to be able to put 100% into this for a while!</p><p>I have no idea of time frame right now. This project could move quickly for me and I may be able to come back to AO3 soon and continue updates on my WIPs. But as of right now, I just have no ideas.</p><p>I am always active on my social media accounts, however, and I will do my best to keep them updated with everything I've got going on. If you have an interest in my new project, you can always follow me to see the official announcement (which should be coming within the next month or two!) And I will likely post updates on my fics as well - like when I may be able to return!</p><ul>
<li>For updates on my fics, you can follow me on Tumblr: <a href="https://katedoesfics.tumblr.com/">https://katedoesfics.tumblr.com/</a>
</li>
<li>You can also follow my official author Tumblr where I will post updates on my original works and up coming projects:<a href="https://drinkcoffee-writebooks.tumblr.com/"> https://drinkcoffee-writebooks.tumblr.com</a> [you will find my Patreon link there as well!]</li>
<li>I even offer a monthly newsletter if anyone would rather receive that instead of following me on Tumblr: <a href="https://wordpress.us4.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=bce757d0d6bcbc9373dcce74a&amp;id=b1e26cca3c">Click here to sign up!</a>
</li>
<li>And you can even join my little Discord server and chat with me! I'll be posting updates there as well! <a href="https://discord.gg/XP9fah3N">https://discord.gg/XP9fah3N</a>
</li>
</ul><p>You can expect to see some big updates coming within the next month or two on my Tumblr, Patreon, and Discord! I hope to see some of you there! If not, I hope you all stay healthy and safe and from the bottom of my heart, thank you for all the support and kind words you've shared with me over the years &lt;3 It all means so much to me - more than you know!! And I'm truly grateful for the little community of friends I've made on AO3. I know I'm in no way popular, but even seeing the same few names leave comments and kudos always makes me so happy! Please know that I see each and every one of you and I love you all &lt;3</p><p>Take care, don't be a stranger! And I hope to see you all here on AO3 soon ^_^ </p><p> </p><p>xoxox Kate &lt;3</p>
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